Louise from 2050

The short film ‘Louise from 2050’ by WeTheHopeful.org goes global

At the end of 2024, the collective WeTheHopeful.org — including Wim Vermeulen, Ben Van Asbroeck, Caro Peeters, Kwinten Scheepers and Valérie Janssens — launched the short film Louise from 2050 on LinkedIn. In this film, Louise takes us to the year 2050, looking back at today’s world and thanking us for the efforts we are making (and will make) to achieve a sustainable transition.

The film avoids the usual narrative of doom and gloom, instead delivering a message of hope and resilience — and it’s making an impression worldwide. This is evidenced by the support of prominent climate scientists (Mike Burners-Lee, Felix Creutzig, etc.), business leaders (Paul Polman, Nigel Topping, etc.), and leading educational and research institutions (Stanford University, Hot or Cool Institute, etc.).

Ben Van Asbroeck (WeTheHopeful.org): “We are not climate activists but a diverse group of concerned citizens with one mission: to translate the hard facts of climate science into stories that inspire action. Scientists provide us with all the solutions for a sustainable transition, but their messages don’t always reach the public. That’s why we translate them into something accessible, inspiring, hopeful, and actionable.”

Inspiring and Actionable
On LinkedIn, the film has already been viewed over 76,000 times across all continents, amounting to a total viewing time of 14 days — an unexpected success for a no-budget production. The numerous responses show that the film inspires people to take action and provides food for thought.

Valérie Janssens (WeTheHopeful.org): “It’s amazing to see how the film motivates people and how they engage with it. LN24, for instance, created a debate program around it featuring Minister Tinne Van der Straeten, climate scientist Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, and Wim Vermeulen. RTBF also covered it. We’ve received inquiries from people all over the world who want to collaborate with us or share how they’re using the film in presentations, conferences, and training sessions.”

A Signal to the Business World
The film also aims to send a message to the business community. Fear of ‘greenwashing’ often leads legal departments to ask marketers to downplay or even silence communications about sustainability efforts — a phenomenon known as ‘greenhushing.’

Wim Vermeulen (WeTheHopeful.org): “We want to show that it can be done differently, and that talking about sustainability doesn’t automatically put you under fire. On the contrary: we’ve only received positive responses. It’s all about speaking the right language. In this film, we’ve incorporated all the insights from four years of research into sustainable communication, so it’s no surprise that it resonates so strongly and that the Hot and Cool Institute calls it a ‘masterclass in sustainable communication.’
We hope this inspires companies and marketers to take the lead again. Our society needs leadership and hope, as the responses to this film confirm. When it comes to the transition, many companies have those qualities. If they shared what they’re already doing today, we’d be amazed at the energy for transition and innovation within businesses.”

About WeTheHopeful.org
WeTheHopeful.org is a collective of concerned citizens dedicated to translating scientific insights and sharing them with their fellow citizens.