Leadership Institute to screen Christi Cooper’s “Youth v. Gov”

Emmy award winning filmmaker and MSU alumna Christi Cooper will premiere her feature-length documentary “Youth v. Gov” on Wednesday, March 23, in the SUB. “Youth v. Gov” details the story of a youth-led group that has been suing the U.S. government since 2015 for violating their rights to a clean climate. The event is coordinated by the Leadership Institute and will also include a Q&A session after the screening with Cooper and Julia Olson, the chief legal counsel for the court case covered in the film.

The group includes a total of 21 American youth who currently range in age from 13 to 24. The lawsuitclaims their right to life, liberty, personal safety and property, as stated in the Fifth Amendment, is violated by the climate crisis they must inherit. 

“With the upcoming first-ever youth-led climate change trial in U.S. history in our state of Montana, the story of Juliana v. The United States is one that everyone should know about, especially Montanans,” Cooper said. 

Vanessa Zamora, a student associate at the Leadership Institute, shared a similar sentiment. “Wonderful documentary in general. It’s more on the inspirational side. You can do a lot from where you are right now,” Zamora said.

The premiere will also honor the 20th anniversary of MSU’s MFA in Science and Natural History Filmmaking program. Cooper is a graduate of the MFA program and worked alongside several alumni, including nine fellow MFA graduates, to produce the film. The School of Film and Photography places an emphasis on developing skills that can lead to landing a professional position in a wide variety of filmmaking departments. “The program has generated an enormous amount of talent throughout the years, and I’m honored to have been a part of it and to have made lifetime colleagues through my time there,” Cooper said.

The Leadership Institute hopes that the event will bring inspiration to students and community members. “I think it’s a great opportunity for students to see leadership within MSU,” Zamora said. “Also, not just them, but the youth, the people in the film are all young and how from a young age you can demonstrate being a leader.”

The event is free and open to the public. Tickets can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/youth-v-gov-film-premiere-at-montana-state-university-free-tickets-275223590167.