For the last two decades, The Yes Men— culture jamming prankster activists Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum (not their real names)—have pulled off some rather hilarious and spectacular media hoaxes to expose corporate crimes, stunts involving ExxonMobil, HUD, WTO, Dow Chemical, The New York Times and more. In this intimate portrait, a sort of follow up to 2007’s doc, “The Yes Men Fix the World,” but not solely lensed by the duo this time, the pair are now approaching middle age and struggle to stay inspired as the worst crime of all threatens the planet. Can they get it together before the ice caps melt?
Here’s the official synopsis:
For the last 20 years, notorious activists the Yes Men (Mike Bonanno and Andy Bichlbaum) have staged outrageous and hilarious hoaxes to draw international attention to corporate crimes against humanity and the environment. Armed with nothing but thrift-store suits and a lack of shame, these iconoclastic revolutionaries lie their way into business events and government functions to expose the dangers of letting greed run out world. In their third cinematic outing (after The Yes Men and The Yes Men Fix The World), they are now well into their 40s and have hit some serious personal mid-life crises that threaten to drive them out of activism forever – even as they prepare to take on the biggest threat they’ve ever faced, climate change. More than the first two installments, The Yes Men Are Revolting is as much a character study as it is an entertaining depiction of their latest interventions. Revealing the real people behind the ruses, its heart lies in what it truly means to fight for change.
Co-Directed by Laura Nix (“The Politics of Fur,” “The Light in Her Eyes”), Bonanno and Bichlbaum, “The Yes Men Are Revolting” makes its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this weekend. Check out the exclusive poster and the extended teaser trailer below.
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