Power Station

synopsis

Set during the pandemic and the years that followed, the story follows two protagonists who decide to transform their street into the first community powered exclusively by solar energy. From their home in London's Walthamstow neighbourhood, they develop an idea that combines artistic practice, activism, and everyday life. The project is based on the belief that even small collectives can influence the shape of our world through direct action and concrete deeds. Initially, the aim is to convince neighbours that a shared energy system is a realistic solution to rising prices and dependence on corporations. In times of economic uncertainty, the initiative becomes a symbol of hope and solidarity for an entire neighbourhood that can barely afford to heat its homes. At the same time, the creators continue their tradition of protest art—during the harshest winter in Britain, they spend almost a month on the roof of a house to raise funds and media attention for the campaign. The narrative combines lightness and humour with a deeper message about the power of community, empathy, and imagination to transform a local dream into a universal call for change.

“We are trying – through the story telling of one street, all of the different characters and history of this one place – to show, actually we can have the power to make change.” — Hilary Powell

Source: BBC News.

biography

Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn are a duo dedicated to documentary films, conceptual art and political activism. Their film Bank Job (2021), which follows their activist project to establish an alternative rebel bank, earned them a nomination for the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA).

film details

director:	Hilary Powell, Dan Edelstyn
producer:	Jessica Edwards, Dan Edelstyn, Hilary Powell, Christopher Hird