Thus, film is primarily a psychological portrait of the world changer. We see each of the three characters being followed ‘breaking’ in some way throughout the film. The weight of the struggle becomes too heavy for all three of them in various ways. Individual happiness, mental and physical health must give way to that which is many times greater.

‘And of course that cannot be, it is not sustainable, you need to have something that is worth fighting for,’ says Pippi van Ommen (co-founder of Extinction Rebellion Amsterdam) in the film. But with those words, she seems to be trying to convince herself of something that is difficult to digest for anyone who knows what is at stake, and whose sense of responsibility towards the world is greater than self-interest.

Alongside the three storylines, the film also shows something of the system against which rebellion is being waged. Not analytically or theoretically, but as a work of art, with the tools of film. The striking images, the sometimes slow, sometimes hectic editing, and the intense music make it tangible where the three characters discuss ‘the system’. And perhaps, as the film suggests, it can’t be any other way. ‘The system’—which we so easily refer to—cannot be simply identified. ‘The system’ has no object, no body, no palace.

A ‘placeless centre’ is how anti-fascist Tadzio Müller refers to it in the film. ‘You can’t storm a Bastille, Winter Palace, or a command center full of villains. Even if I had 50,000 revolutionary troops under my command, I would have no idea where I could send them.’ Against whom are we fighting? Where does evil reside? Who is this invisible enemy? Is there even such a thing as ‘the system’? It’s hard to say; that’s why we can theorize about it endlessly. But Postema tries to avoid that, yet manages to make that vague ‘system’ palpable, deep within your fibers.

This makes the film absolutely no light fare. It wasn’t hopeful either, as some viewers noted during the discussion afterward. The unjust, sometimes downright ugly side of the world hits you hard in the face, and at the same time, we see the vulnerable, hesitant, sometimes fearful heroes of the film break down more because of it than achieving their goal. That is painful, sad, unfair.

Yet Pippi, Tadzio, and diplomat Henk Ovink do not give up. And towards the end of the film, a somewhat hopeful perspective opens up as Postema brings the three characters together. Not that things will get better; Pippi and Tadzio harbor no illusions about that. ‘But that shouldn’t be a reason not to live,’ says Pippi.

Nor does it mean not fighting anymore. And all three have reconciled with their fight. Tadzio literally. Almost frantic, he sings along with the slogans at an anti-fascism demonstration, while looking around and wondering who is truly ready to fight when it comes down to it. Learn martial arts, he calls out to us. Violence will be inevitable. Be prepared. If he must go, he goes fighting. But although the theme of violent resistance, among others with input from Andreas Malm (How to blow up a pipeline), is discussed, Postema’s film ultimately leads to something else: community spirit, call it socialism, helping each other.

Thus, the three storylines, three different individual lives, come together at a table in a single moment captured on camera to capture the essence of the film.  System change lies in the restoration of human relationships and cooperation. Only that can dismantle the system. No grand world-changing revolution, but ‘fuck revolutions,’ they shout together while holding each other, thereby wrapping Postema’s film.

That alternative is embodied by Pippi, who is present during the discussion to tell more about this new way of activism. She knocks on doors to discuss asylum and migration policy in the Netherlands. Deep canvassing is what this is called, a conversation method for social change that has a surprisingly significant effect. In such a conversation based on a proposition, about 20 minutes are spent exploring the differences, but especially the similarities in certain viewpoints of people outside your bubble. Pippi is co-founder of Deep Canvassing Netherlands and also provides training to become a canvasser.

And that is precisely the work we need, Tadzio impresses upon her. ‘You talk to people. You teach people to work together again. What we must understand as large resistance movements is that the work you do is the foundation for everything that is to come in the future.’ The film thus shows that the three themes are interconnected. That the world changer is constantly threatened to drown because ‘the system’ throws us all back on ourselves. But the film also shows that it is precisely the restoration of those human connections that is a truly sustainable attack against ‘the system’.

The dismantling of the system lies in breaking the illusion of self-interest, of the individual, of putting oneself and one’s own people first. The film is in this manner a continuation of what was already discussed here and there that morning at De Zitting. ‘Unite. Organize counterpower,’ said Sinan Çankaya. Jerry urged us to set concrete goals and start small. No revolutionary grandstanding, then. No heroism. Not wanting to overthrow the entire world order, but passing by the doors and engaging in conversation in search of what binds us. Neighborhood work. Local politics. Do. Together. This way individuals can dismantle ‘the system’ and change the world. United in resistance to division.

Want to know more about Deep Canvassing Netherlands? Take a training? Click here.

The System is now showing in theaters.