Spreaders: the first crowd-filmed documentary launches to mark the anniversary of lockdown

'Super-spreaders', 'covidiots', 'uncaring' and 'irresponsible' are just some of the mendacious labels young people have had to put up with over the past year. In Spreaders, a uniquely crowd-filmed documentary launched today, young people provide a compelling push back against their vilification.
They share their views and the concerns of a younger generation whose education and job prospects have been curtailed and social lives wrecked, by a year of confinement.

Filmed with improvised equipment, mobile phones and webcams, this punchy and impressive short, raises the question some are afraid to ask: has lockdown done more harm than good? For most young people, the answer is yes and society will need to evidence the measures it has taken which have penalised a generation.

As one young contributor, 18-year-old Nicky Detain asks tellingly:
"I have spent my entire adult life in lockdownhaving theory tests cancelled not being allowed to go to a restaurant with friends.. not being allowed to have a haircut, is this what being an adult means?"

First-hand accounts from a generation for whom adulthood has meant unfreedom, and whose lives have been put on hold, are long overdue. Committed to film by young people themselves, this is extraordinary witness testimony on a year like no other and stands in the finest documentary tradition.

Ceri Dingle, Director of the Charity WORLDwrite whose free Citizen TV training brought the large young crew which made Spreaders together, said today:

"This has been an exceptional collective endeavor. It was such a pleasure to work with so many talented, eloquent, and creative young adults who made the most of awful circumstances. I hope the final film helps shine a spotlight on the destructive distrust that has been afforded this younger generation. I look forward to meeting this inspiring young crew in person as soon as it is allowed. I am hopeful a cinema may step up and screen their film and allow them all to meet each other offline too."

The film is freely available to watch on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_uPQFj-SCg

For further details and interviews, please contact world.write@btconnect.com or phone Kate Abley on 020 8985 5435.


Notes for Editors

WORLDwrite is the East London based charity renowned for its documentaries and videos that address pressing social issues and give a platform to lesser heard voices and views. The charity runs an award-winning online Citizen TV channel which champions quality citizen reporting and provides free film training to young people to make this possible.

The charity's volunteering opportunity and free training packages are currently taking place online. Its next free training package runs during the Easter holidays and is still accepting applications from 16-25's at https://www.worldwrite.org.uk/volunteering/

Some of the young crew who made Spreaders are taking part in a mini marathon to help the charity fund the re-opening of its Volunteer Centre. Their appeal page is eagerly accepting donations at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/worldwritefreedomchallenge

WORLDwrite-produced documentaries include the award-winning, internationally-screened Every Cook Can Govern: The life, works & impact of C.L.R. James, the multi-award winning film Women: a success story and the acclaimed documentary Sylvia Pankhurst: Everything Is Possible.

More details are available on the charity's website at www.worldwrite.org.uk