A lot has happened since 2018 when we set sail on eXXpedition North Pacific from Hawaii to Vancouver, including the release of X Trillion the film! This documentary, directed and filmed by Eleanor Church, tells the gripping story with fourteen fearless women as they navigate 3000 miles of ocean, confronting the monumental challenge of plastic pollution threatening our planet’s future. It’s a journey that promises to change not only the women’s lives but the very future of our planet.
With the film already making waves in cinemas across the UK, what better time could there be to catch up with Eleanor herself and get some insight from behind the scenes.
Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Eleanor, and I’ve been a documentary filmmaker and photographer for 20 years. I live in Colchester with four children and my work focuses on the environment, people and their stories. It has taken me all over the world; sometimes even into some quite hairy and extreme situations!
What ignited your passion for filmmaking and storytelling?
I grew up in a rural part of Essex; and in the local library we had a brilliant video department – whoever was in charge of it unknowingly played a key role in my life. Every Sunday, my dad and I would watch arthouse foreign films from there and even from a really young age I loved all of them. At the time, I didn’t even know anyone who made films but I was so drawn to the idea.
Picture Description: Filming at sea in the Highlands for Huffpost
When I finished school I did a foundation course in graphic design and specialised in documentary video. After graduation, I worked at Magnum Photos in Paris for 6 months, in their archive to digitise their library. It was full of photos documenting major events that happened in the last two decades all over the world, but only had room for a short description on the back to identify and catalogue them by. Working there was fascinating, like being in the centre of this big hub where all my heroes worked! It felt like one step closer to where I wanted to be.
I still remember sitting in my bedroom when I was 17 thinking, ‘I want to understand how the world works, but there has to be more to it than what’s in the newspaper or even books? How can I rely on their perspectives?’ It felt like everything I read focused on what was in front of them, but I wanted to know what was happening behind us. I wanted to get out there and understand things for myself.
Picture Credit: Eleanor Church
I still remember sitting in my bedroom when I was 17 thinking, ‘I want to understand how the world works, but there has to be more to it than what’s in the newspaper or even books? How can I rely on their perspectives?’ It felt like everything I read focused on what was in front of them, but I wanted to know what was happening behind us.
You joined us for a voyage to the North Pacific Gyre in 2018, what was that experience like for you?
I can’t see myself as an individual without being a filmmaker because I see the world in pictures, sounds, shapes and stories. This expedition was the perfect opportunity – along with Emily’s approach – to tell a story and engage people in a subject from a different perspective without making it just about plastic. I was sure that it was the right thing to do and at the very least I had to give it a shot.
To have this experience and be surrounded by all these people who are trying to do the same thing, meant I could find a way to do something about it. It was extraordinary.
I did feel nervous about how everyone was going to react to me filming on board, but I was also excited about having that time (which you don’t often get as an adult!) to just be with other people and experience something so intensely. You’re in this really remote environment where you have so much space to have all the thoughts that you don’t normally have time for, like your place in the universe and what that means. Being so far away from everything gives you greater clarity in the context of something bigger… which makes it sound like a psychedelic trip, but there were these moments that the enormity of where we are now hit… how messed up the world is and how much we messed up the world as humans. To have this experience and be surrounded by all these people who are trying to do the same thing, meant I could find a way to do something about it. It was extraordinary.
What is X Trillion all about?
X Trillion follows an expedition with 14 women onboard. I was one of them. We’re all from different professions and walks of life. We sailed 3,000 nautical miles from Hawaii to Vancouver, across the North Pacific over 3 weeks. Over this time we were documenting and collecting data and samples for research projects about plastic pollution.
Picture Credit: Eleanor Church
We need huge change, and women really need to be at the heart of that.
We expected ‘plain sailing’ but it was far from it. It was a wild and epic adventure across the ocean, to one of the most remote places on Earth with a group of people who had never met before.
As the audience, I wanted to take you with us on this journey. And just like the crew who are from all different backgrounds, the film creates this almost microcosm for the world and highlights the importance of working together to find solutions.
I think the primary message of the film to me is that we can’t carry on living the way that we do in this world. We need huge change, and women really need to be at the heart of that. We make up 50% of the global population. And yet we’re still not seeing representation in the places that matter.
Picture Credit: Eleanor Church
We expected ‘plain sailing’ but it was far from it. It was a wild and epic adventure across the ocean, to one of the most remote places on Earth with a group of people who had never met before.
What was the most surprising thing you learnt during the making of X Trillion?
It was just really exhausting. Brilliant, but exhausting.
Another thing that surprised me was how well everyone got on. I personally felt nervous to begin with, when you are surrounded by people it can be hard to not feel self conscious, but I felt that as a filmmaker I had to really override that. Just before we left, Emily said we have to look out for each other and be kind. It’s a really simple message but it meant that we never made room for any negativity.
What role do you think film making plays in helping to protect the ocean and our planet?
I think people are tired of all the things that we should be doing. People are made to feel responsible for everything that happens above them. In terms of filmmaking and storytelling, it’s important to keep people interested, but also help them learn by connecting human to human instead of preaching and shaming. We need to find a different language to tell the plastics story in.
That’s where filmmaking comes in, because as humans we’ve been telling stories forever – that’s how we share our values, our teachings, our messages, our love and hope. That’s one of the reasons I wanted to make it as observational as possible, so you’re watching as it unfolds rather than being told what to think; that makes people feel small, when really we are all on the same level.
I believe that’s how we engage people, but with that comes the responsibility of enabling people to do something with that rather than just leaving them to it.
Picture Credit: Adèle Spicer
We need to find a different language to tell the plastics story in.
What piece advice would you give someone wanting to make a documentary?
Aside from the logistics and money, I’d say just really listen to people. It’s ok to have an idea of what your plan is and what your aim and direction is but listen and be open to learning along the way.
Picture Description: Filming illegal trawlers in Sierra Leone
What keeps you hopeful about the future of the ocean?
There’s so much more to do, but I think that there’s a realisation now about what the consumer wants and the influence we can have. Everything is interconnected, including our actions. The way business operates, with how policies are made, and so on… it’s a chicken and egg situation. That realisation is slowly sinking in that we do have the power to take back control.
Where can people see X Trillion for themselves?
X Trillion is on tour across the UK right now, and we’re currently working on our international screenings too! Keep an eye on the website to see where we’re heading next!
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To find out more about X Trillion and upcoming screenings click here!
