Classic Cinemas

The Story

Franklin recounts the epic seven-year campaign to save Tasmania’s World Heritage-listed Franklin River from being drowned by the construction of a hydroelectric project in the early 1980s. The ‘Franklin Campaign’ remains the most significant environmental protest in Australian history, a definitive example of the power of non-violent direct action, and is considered ground zero for ‘Green’ politics worldwide.

The story is told through the eyes of 8th generation Tasmanian, Oliver Cassidy, as he follows in his activist father’s footsteps and embarks on a solo rafting pilgrimage down the Franklin. In the process, he retraces the campaign, exploring why it was so successful when others have failed, and what lessons can be applied to other non-violent movements today. All this while being physically challenged beyond anything he has ever known, in a remote and extraordinary landscape most people won’t ever get to experience ... until now.

"Franklin" Official Trailer from Rock Island Bend Productions on Vimeo.