Surviving Progress (2011)
A provocative Canadian documentary that asks whether humanity's relentless drive for progress is engineering its own extinction.
Surviving Progress - Movie Information
- Original Title: Surviving Progress
- Release Year: 2011
- Directed by: Mathieu Roy, Harold Crooks
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Documentary
- Runtime: 1h 26m
- Original Language: English
- Spoken Languages: English
- Release Date (Theatrical): November 4, 2011 (Canada)
- Alternative Titles: Sobreviviendo al progreso (AR)
- Production Companies: Big Picture Media Corporation, ONF | NFB
- Production Countries: Canada
Surviving Progress - Plot
Humanity's ascent is often measured by the speed of progress. But what if progress is actually spiraling us downwards, towards collapse? Ronald Wright, whose best-seller, "A Short History Of Progress" inspired "Surviving Progress", shows how past civilizations were destroyed by "progress traps"—alluring technologies and belief systems that serve immediate needs, but ransom the future. As pressure on the world's resources accelerates and financial elites bankrupt nations, can our globally-entwined civilization escape a final, catastrophic progress trap? With potent images and illuminating insights from thinkers who have probed our genes, our brains, and our social behaviour, this requiem to progress-as-usual also poses a challenge: to prove that making apes smarter isn't an evolutionary dead-end.
Surviving Progress - Trailer
Watch the official trailer and see the urgent questions this documentary raises:
Every time history repeats itself, the price goes up.
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Surviving Progress - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Mathieu Roy
- Harold Crooks
Main Cast
- Stephen Hawking
- David Suzuki
- Jane Goodall
Writers
- Mathieu Roy
- Harold Crooks
Producers
- Daniel Louis
- Denise Robert
Surviving Progress - FAQs
Where can I stream Surviving Progress?
Surviving Progress is available to stream on several platforms in the US. You can watch it for free on Kanopy and Fawesome, with ad-supported viewing on The Roku Channel, a flat-rate subscription on OVID, or rent it through Amazon Video. Availability may vary by region.
Is Surviving Progress based on a book?
Yes. Surviving Progress is directly inspired by Ronald Wright's bestselling book A Short History of Progress. Wright himself appears in the documentary, guiding viewers through his central argument that human civilizations repeatedly fall victim to self-destructive progress traps throughout history.
What is the central argument of Surviving Progress?
The film argues that what we call progress can be a double-edged force. Technologies and belief systems that satisfy immediate needs often mortgage the future, creating progress traps. The documentary questions whether modern civilization, burdened by resource depletion and financial instability, can avoid the fate of collapsed societies before it.
Who are the main contributors in Surviving Progress?
The documentary features a remarkable lineup of thinkers and scientists, including physicist Stephen Hawking, environmentalist David Suzuki, and primatologist Jane Goodall. Alongside author Ronald Wright, these contributors offer perspectives spanning genetics, ecology, economics, and evolutionary biology to examine humanity's relationship with progress.
Who directed Surviving Progress?
Surviving Progress was co-directed by Mathieu Roy and Harold Crooks, who also co-wrote the film. The documentary was produced in Canada with support from Big Picture Media Corporation and the National Film Board of Canada (ONF | NFB), and was released in November 2011.
What topics does Surviving Progress cover?
The film examines a wide range of interconnected issues including overpopulation, deforestation, environmental degradation, economic inequality, the global banking system, and the ecological limits of growth. It draws on history, evolutionary biology, and economics to build a sweeping critique of modern civilization's trajectory.
How long is Surviving Progress?
Surviving Progress has a runtime of 86 minutes, making it a focused and efficiently structured documentary. In under an hour and a half, it covers an ambitious range of topics, from the fall of ancient civilizations to contemporary financial crises and environmental collapse, without sacrificing depth or clarity.
What are similar documentaries to Surviving Progress?
Viewers who enjoyed Surviving Progress may also appreciate The Social Dilemma (2020), Grizzly Man (2005), The China Hustle (2018), and The Hidden Life of Trees (2020). These films share a similarly probing, intellectually engaged approach to understanding the unintended consequences of human systems and choices.
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