Thursday 26th March 09

Off to Sheffield to see Age of Stupid at the Showroom, and to see Franny Armstrong, the film-maker, introduce it and answer questions afterwards.

I had quite a busy morning at home but got a train just after midday, then a tram in Sheffield up to near where Ali lives, and then a 10 minute walk to her house. Arrived at 2 and spent some of the afternoon with her before going to a meeting that she chairs... a nursery which has loads of kids... I think 60 children under 4 years old... I didn't attend the meeting, I did some balloon animals for the few children who were still around, but when they went I sat in on the last 10 minutes.

At nearly 6 we went on to the Showroom where there was a queue for the Age of Stupid special screening, sold out as Franny Armstrong was due to introduce the film and answer questions afterwards. As we were queueing for a mocha, I spotted Franny, I was glad she'd made it, as earlier I'd received a mass email saying it was touch and go whether she'd be able to get up to Sheffield.

The film is brilliant... this was the second time I'd seen it and I got more out of it this time... some bits I'd missed the first time, and also the linking theme of oil which connects all the stories was much clearer. But I still cried and cried at one point near the end, when the years roll forward to 2055. I think it's the music actually, it's so, well, emotional!

I enjoyed the Q+A, although one question, asked by a young teen or child, about what Franny herself does to be climate friendly, was answered in a bit of a tough way, as many people have asked her, in one way or another, whether she's a hypocrite? I don't think this young person was actually asking that complex a question, they just wanted to hear that she was vegetarian, charged up her laptop with solar panels and didn't drive, or fly on holiday (although being a film-maker means that she has flown and will be travelling by air to the US next month).

Afterwards, we went to the local groups discussion, hosted by Transition Sheffield and Sheffield Against Climate Change. Before I went to get my train home, we went to Subway for a sandwich and I then got the 10 15ish train to Leeds, had a 25 minute wait in Leeds and arrived in York soon after midnight.

A super day! Rerally good to see Ali, and AoS again, and glad to share this with Ali, who enjoyed it too, if 'enjoyed' is the right term!