FILM: HOW TO START YOUR OWN COUNTRY – SYDNEY FILM FESTIVAL SERIES
Review By Duncan McLeod
Director: Jody Shapiro
Review: The idea of a ‘micro-nation’ is one that never entered this reviewer’s mind until seeing HOW TO START YOUR OWN COUNTRY. Coming away, it sounds like a pretty solid idea. This documentary is perhaps the most fascinating film the Primate has seen in his entire life. Everybody wants to shut themselves off from the rest of the world at one time or other, but this is about a handful of people who have literally segregated themselves from countries. They are not recognised by the United Nations (UN).
The UN features a lot in this piece. We hear from UN Officials and professors about the ambiguity of what makes a state or country by definition. The main thing we learn from ‘those in the know’ is that it doesn’t really matter. A state needs some form of industry and ability to survive self sufficiently, but can still buy and trade with other countries and be classed as their own entity.
The Princesses, Presidents and Prime Ministers of the micro-nations disclosed are a little on the eccentric side for sure. They aren’t overtly out of the ordinary, just interesting conversational characters.
There were several intriguing titbits to be learned, including that choosing to be a Principality is perhaps the best way to classify your state as you can still be independent but logistically have the least amount of red tape to overcome before you’re ready to roll.
There is even a principality on an abandoned World War II gun tower, called ‘Sealand’. Lying 10kms off the coast of Suffolk, England it has been inhabited since the 1970s.
Then there is South Dumpling Island near New York that is completely independent of the rules and governance of the United States. There is a particularly interesting document presented to the audience which validates their independence.
Of course, Australia is in there too. Within Western Australia there is another country independent from the Commonwealth called The Principality of Hutt River. They have their own Post Office, and currency and the inhabitants haven’t paid taxes in over a decade. They even have their own passport. Doesn’t sound too bad!
The most fascinating part for this reviewer was a focus on ‘seasteads’ being developed by an American company. Their seed funding was from one of the developers of PayPal who also threw his hat in the ring to help fund Facebook. So they have some serious players on their side. The testing of their prototype is progressing well. Construction is based on a modular design. In 5 years they hope to have a handful of people living self-sufficiently on a seastead in the ocean and in 10-15 years have a fully functioning city.
This is a must watch documentary. It’s not overly humorous entertainment, but it’s certainly provocative and informative.
