Céline Roustan
You may not know her name, but Chlöe Swarbrick’s chastisement of an older colleague made headlines around the world. “OK Boomer”, spoken from the floor of parliament, went viral internationally and served as an emblematic moment for a generation of political activists that refuse to wait in line. Elected as a Member of Parliament at only 23, making her the youngest elected MP in New Zealand, Swarbrick unapologetically challenges the political status-quo with strong stances on economic and political equality with a rare combination of dedication and idealism. In the nine-minute short OK Chlöe, part of the famous Loading Docs series, director Charlotte Evans allows us access to Swarbrick’s personal and professional life as the ‘millennial MP’—offering us a glimpse into the New Zealand political system and what it takes to enact change.
With a background in music videos and commercials, this is Evans’ first venture into the documentary medium. “We were fascinated by the global movement of younger female politicians who are deeply progressive and unafraid to speak their mind in the pursuit for change”, the filmmaker tells us while discussing what led them to create a film about Swarbrick.
“It felt more important than ever to showcase a politician that is willing to risk everything to fight for what they believe in”
Having such a charismatic and inspiring subject surely fuels one’s creativity, but since the film was shot the pandemic hit and now giving center stage to someone who is actively trying to change things and shake up the political system’s inadequacies automatically has a much deeper meaning. “It felt more important than ever to showcase a politician that is willing to risk everything to fight for what they believe in”, Evans adds, “the world is not going to be in a good place for our children and our children’s children if we sit back and do nothing”.
Initially, it was Swarbrick’s positions on issues such as the environment and mental health, let alone what she represents for the millennial generation (and the ones after), that inspired Evans. Originally planning to follow her campaign for the Auckland Central electorate, in true documentary fashion, the final narrative for OK Chlöe only emerged and formed as they were shooting. Detouring from her original plan, Evans’ documentary ended up going in a direction that instead shone a light on the toll of being an MP and how working in such an outdated, broken political system can be extremely toxic. Later, once the pandemic had changed the world and politicians in New Zealand started speaking out about how their jobs affect their mental health, it was in the editing room that they truly shaped the story.
DP Kirk Pflaum’s observational docs experience helped give the film an authentic, insightful feel
Though the portrait documentary format is one that has become somewhat conventional and predictable in short film, here Evans alternates between an observational approach and more constructed shots to paint the different layers of her film. Helped by her DP Kirk Pflaum, who is experienced in shooting observational docs, Evans gives the audience the opportunity to see Swarbrick at work, following her around and giving us insight into what motivates her. While the film provides context to Swarbrick’s journey as a politician, the environment where she works and her personal backstory, having a clearly established rapport with her subject only helps to strengthen the authenticity of the piece. Evans capturing on camera both the vulnerabilities, that she candidly shares, and fierceness of Swarbrick, making her a subject all the more charming and captivating, while also giving us a fascinating window into the daily life of an MP.
Ok Chlöe premiered online as part of the seventh season of Loading Docs, a series we’ve covered in the past, which provides a platform to up-and-coming New Zealand directors to tell real-life stories that define the small island country. 7 other films are part of this season, and they are all worth a watch, and can be found at the link below. Evans is currently in post-production on a documentary feature titled April 2020, shot with 38 cinematographers from 22 countries, she is also in the early development stages of a period drama feature and a dark comedy TV series.