Five minutes to midnight. Schoolboys Jelson and Ipe, who are in love, run to school past fire, charred trees, and earth fissures. “Philippines, are you game!?” shouts a state radio host at them. It promises to be an exciting day, with temperatures reaching 69°C and a tsunami on the way. There has been no water for days, so every drop counts. But don’t worry, there are slogans to appease the people: live, laugh, love. So, piss bottles in hand, off to gym class they go. 

In Whammy Alcazaren’s bitingly fatalistic satire, a group of Gen Zers willingly throw themselves into the clutches of the climate crisis in a dried-up swimming pool. The future has been taken away from them, so all that remains is to kick the bucket together, while laughing, dancing, and kissing. This translates into off-the-wall humour, visual extremes, and an abundance of obscure references to popular (internet) culture. Even a Belgian meme from the noughties makes the cut. Alcazaren sharply taps into generational disillusionment—and the humour that young people continue to find despite it all. The end of the world? Okayyyy, let’s go! (Flo Vanhorebeek)