Thursday 29 September 2016

You've Been Trumped

 For some reason, it seemed a good idea to share this film review again....


You've Been Trumped is a documentary film about Donald Trump's project to build 'the world's best golf course' on an area of rare sand-dunes which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in Aberdeenshire. It's a very well made documentary that is at once heartbreaking, inspiring and entertaining. There is beautiful footage of the dune system as it used to be, a vibrant, beautiful areaof wilderness that not only was wonderful for wildlife (hence the SSSI designation, which issuppposed to offer protection against development) but also was a popular place for local people to walk. The film also shows the bulldozers ploughing roughshod over the land, destroying the ecosystem, which can never be restored, due to its uniquely fragile nature. The resulting golf course is one that local people are unlikely to be able to afford to play on, even if they were to want to. (Interestingly, some American golfers who were interviewed in this film as they played on the golf course at St Andrews said that they would not be interested in playing on Trump's course, and they are the target audience).

The film focuses on how local people are being affected by the development - the construction has caused locals to lose their water supply for weeks, has demanded that they pay for fencing and has built sandbanks round their houses to hide them from view of the rich Americans who will be playing on the golf course. A number of local families had been threatened with compulsory purchase orders on their homes, though Trump did back down on this after a demonstration.

The local police are shown to very definitely be on the side of Trump, they harrassed and arrested the film makers and took the side of Trump in every conflict with the local people.

The film also shows some of the positives that rose out of the whole debacle including some excellent arts projects, including these photos by Alicia Bruce.

I've followed the development of this golf course over the years (this link takes you to all the posts I've written that mention the subject). I am still shocked as to how a Scottish Government that claims to support local democracy, be concerned for the environment and be working for an independent Scotland can overturn local decisions (the Aberdeenshire council originally refused planning permission for the course) and basically sell Scotland's natural assets to the highest bidder to create a golf course (as if Scotland doesn't have enough of those already) that will be marketed to rich foreigners.


The You've Been Trumped website is here and their facebook page is here.
The Tripping up Trump campaign has a website here.

Some cinemas have refused to screen this film, claiming lack of audience interest (Trump has been putting out propoganda saying the film isn't worth seeing and there's no audience for it). If your local cinema claims that there is no interest in seeing You've Been Trumped, prove them wrong and ask them to screen it.

**
Edited to add: there is also a follow up film, A Dangerous Game, which both updates the story of Trump's golf-course in Aberdeenshire but also looks more widely at environmentally damaging  golf courses. I reviewed A Dangerous Game here.

As ever, text in red contains hyperlinks which take you to other websites where you can find out more.

18 comments:

bunnits said...

I am so sorry that this happened. I have very little regard for Donald Trump, to put it mildly. His actions disgust me. I will stop before I get carried away and begin to rant.

Draffin Bears said...

Hi Juliet,

Have heard of this movie and thanks for sharing the review.
Sad when things like this happen and the developers have no regard for the people who live nearby.

Happy new week
Hugs
Carolyn

shoreacres said...

Oh, dear. Do you know I've not heard ONE word about this over here in the States? Apparently the propaganda machinery is working better than I imagined.

There are some qualities I do admire in Mr. Trump, but his willingness to run roughshod over the environment and trash other peoples' countries is not one. I need to go see if I can surface reports of this in the American media.

Rachel Fox said...

Shoreacres - we were in the States for a long stretch earlier this year... and I think your news is worse than ours (in terms of no content). Plenty of stuff about the freaking royal wedding though!!

Lisa said...

I haven't heard of this one but I'll check it out. Most people I know despise Trump.

Christina said...

I wont comment on Trump, he isnt worth it. (and so I commented then huh)

Yes indeed the world needs another golf course. NOT.

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Lucy said...

A sickening business. Seems it's really important to keep this aired. So much just gets passed over as yesterday's news as the mainstream news machine rolls on to the next thing, but clearly there's mischief afoot to keep this hushed up.

eileeninmd said...

Hello, I am not a fan of Trump. He just makes me sick!

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

Independence would have cost an awful lot of money...

Lowcarb team member said...

Scotland already has some wonderful golf courses with so much history to them and the game.

All the best Jan

Bill said...

Well done, Juliet.

Rambling Woods said...

I'm sorry but there are no good qualities to that selfish hateful bigot making money off the backs of people who do pay taxes like me. People need to do their research on the narcissistic idiot...

Gingi said...

Fascinating.. I might just have to watch this... - http://www.domesticgeekgirl.com

Crafty Green Poet said...

Lowcarb - I'm not anti golf, and the film isn't anti golf, its anti building golf courses in environmentally sensitive areas and it's (obviously) anti Trump's way of doing business

Rambling Woods - oh I entirely agree and if you watch the film, there isn't a single positive thing in it about Trump.

Pietro Brosio said...

Really interesting.

Unknown said...

Your link for Tripping Up Trump goes to a German weddings website! The one you want is http://www.trippinguptrump.co.uk/
The film was put on at Take One Action a few years ago, I wonder has it been updated since the course has been finished?

Crafty Green Poet said...

Thanks Lindsay, I should have checked it was still the right link before I posted! The film hasn't been updated but a second film has been made 'A Dangerous Game' which i also reviewed on this blog, I'll add a link to that from this article too.