By Lise Pedersen
Imagine a world devoid of advertisement, a world where human beings are not reduced to consumers, their desires and behavior dictated by an economic system driven by consumer capitalism.
That’s the proposition of “You Need This,” by Ryan Andrej Lough, set to have its world premiere at the Copenhagen International Documentary Festival, also known as CPH:DOX, which opens today.
Produced by Academy Award winning filmmaker Adam McKay (“Don’t Look Up”), known for his satirical films blending comedy with political and economic critique, “You Need This” delivers a provocative analysis of capitalist consumerism and its effects on the planet and society.
“You Need This” Courtesy of Michael J. Weldon
Dissecting the psychological and societal mechanisms that drive mass consumption, the film traces its roots back to the unregulated post-war American economy, when natural resources seemed infinite and the pursuit of material wealth, driven by aggressive marketing strategies, became synonymous with success and happiness.
Lough, who once directed commercials to support himself through university, describes how his perspective shifted after reading “Propaganda” by Edward Bernays, the so-called father of modern advertising. It was a turning point.
“I couldn’t see advertising in the same way anymore,” he tells Variety. “I no longer saw it as just a way to make ends meet – I saw it as something much more sinister. I started researching how advertising, PR and propaganda controls society, their impact on the climate, social degradation, the colonization of anything from resources to attention… and dreams!”
The film highlights a chilling new frontier: “dream advertising,” a concept explored by MIT scientists featured in the doc, who warn of corporations attempting to engineer ads into people’s subconscious through audio and video stimulation.
Blending expert interviews, archive material, and imagery of environmental destruction and factory labor, the film follows a loose three-act framework.
It first takes stock of the current landscape, then examines its historical roots. An interlude on dreams, creativity and autonomous thought challenges viewers to imagine a world beyond established systems. A brief final chapter presents pathways to awareness and self-empowerment, urging individuals and society to rethink their relationship with consumption.
A cast that includes novelist Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, economist Juliet Schor, and dream scientist Adam Haar-Horowitz from Harvard Medical School adds depth to the film’s analysis. Also featured is Reverend Billy and his Church of Stop Shopping, a performance art collective known for its theatrical resistance against consumerist culture.
Lough’s background in advertising is put to satirical use in commercial-style scenes that mirror the manipulative techniques of the industry.
As the conversation wraps up, Lough acknowledges that while the damage already done may be irreversible, there is still a chance to shift towards a more sustainable future. However, he says, he fears that the people in power are suppressing the changes needed to make that happen.
“I truly fear the loss of free speech,” he tells Variety. “I do feel that myself and some of the people in this film might be targeted. I don’t feel safe.” Despite this, he refuses to remain passive. “I don’t think anybody can just sit back. If you have the awareness, you’re obligated to stand up and use it.”
Funded by an anonymous donor, “You Need This” is co-written and narrated by comedy writer and actor Serra Naiman (“I Wrote This for You”). It is produced by McKay’s Yellow Dot Studios and Amsterdam-based Scenery, in partnership with Banijay Benelux and Hôtel Motion Pictures. ZDF Studios’ Off the Fence is handling sales.
Lough will also be pitching his next project at CPH:DOX’s marketplace. “The Walk” is an ambitious docu-series chronicling his 450-day journey on foot from the coast of Portugal to the coast of China, relying solely on human interaction for survival. Test shoots in Bulgaria and Turkey have already yielded promising results, he tells Variety.
“You Need This” will be screened in CPH:DOX’s Special Premieres section on March 23, followed by a live Q&A session with the director. Its North American premiere is set for DocLands in May.
CPH:DOX runs in Copenhagen until March 30.