Look To The Future
A Video Poem Reflection on the State of the UK
Welcome to a new section of the JasonWardCreative Substack. I’m experimenting with video as a means of creatively expressing stories that cross into politics. I hope you enjoy the film and please consider taking out a subscription to support my work and to take advantage of exclusive posts, podcasts and playlists as well as full access to the entire archive. Enjoy the film!
As we enter the Festive Season nostalgia is in the air. This made me reflect on the words of a very famous British Christmas song called Merry Xmas Everybody by glam rock group Slade. The song has the line ‘Look to the future now, it’s only just begun’ and I remembered how in the 70s and 80s we always looked forward to how great the future would be.
I spent many years away from the UK living in France, Spain, Argentina and the USA. I remember watching the 2012 London Olympics from Orlando, Florida and being inspired to return to my homeland. In 2014 I move home but things were not the same. The illogical self harm of Brexit was in the air and then became real. Where my generation growing up mocked anyone who talked about ‘the war’ , the new reality wrapped itself in flag of Orwellian continuous battle with the rest of the world.
The country lurched further and further to the extreme right with mainstream politicians and journalists sounding ever more like the old drunk in the corner of the pub who everyone referred to as ‘Old Fuhrer Freddie’ Rich, expensively educated and hugely cynical demagogues took control and I no longer recognised my country so I moved across the water to the Republic of Ireland.
This short film was made in December 2022