The Little Things That Run the World - screening & panel discussion
+ TTR's own film "What If a Better World Were Possible?"
"Anyone who cares about our natural world and our place in it should watch this documentary."
As part of the Reading Climate Festival (2026), join us for a screening of "The Little Things That Run the World", plus Transition Town Reading's own short film, "What if a Better World Were Possible?", followed by a post-film Q&A panel discussion.
"The Little Things that Run the World" (Dir. Doug Hawes-Davis)
This film introduces viewers to a diverse group of scientists, nature lovers, gardeners, farmers, and general bug enthusiasts in exploring the importance of flying insects amid rapid declines in their numbers. This most numerous group of animals on the planet by far—three quarters of all animal species—have also been called the "glue of life" on Earth. They literally hold ecosystems together.
Insects were the first animals to evolve flight nearly 440 million years ago, and they survived all five of the known mass extinctions since then. But, there is evidence that the pace of decline among insects in parts of the world today is fast approaching the levels of previous catastrophes. What this means for the rest of life on Earth, including humans, is the focus of the film.
The film documents the mysteries of the declines alongside creative and heroic human efforts to change the course of evolutionary history. What is causing this extinction crisis? What can be done to reverse the trend? The Little Things that Run the World attempts to find answers to those questions and more."
The Transition Town Reading Film: "What If a Better World Were Possible?" (21 mins).
In the heart of Reading, local changemakers are harnessing the power of nature and community to realise their vision of a better world.
While many of the World's problems are global – the climate emergency, resource scarcity, pollution, overconsumption and wealth inequality – the local scale is becoming an increasingly potent source of adaptable, systemic change.
Our film celebrates and brings together 7 brilliant community led initiatives across energy, water, waste, nature connection and ecosystem restoration. These include, pub dwellers rallying to restore their local marsh, a community owned hydro-power project, solar energy installed all across town, community tree planting, and Solar Punk stories of the future, writ large across public walkways.
The film is about the joy of possibility in the face of uncertainty, cultivating a deep collective sense of place, and the power of local community action.
Post-film Q&A panel:
- Prof Chris Rhodes, Director of Fresh-lands Environmental Actions, and Chair of Transition Town Reading.
- Dr Chris Foster, Lecturer in Animal Ecology, University of Reading, and University lead for biodiversity on the Environmental Sustainability Committee.
- Grahame Hawker, Vice-chair of the Upper Thames branch of Butterfly Conservation, and President of the Reading and District Natural History Society.
- Tricia Marcouse, environmental engineer and local naturalist, focussing on benefits of local green spaces on behalf of ECONET and RDNHS.
Evening Programme:
- 6.00 pm, "The Little Things That Run the World"
- 7.45 pm, short break
- 8.00 pm, "What If a Better World Were Possible?"
- 8.25pm, Q&A panel discussion
- 9.00 pm, approx. finish