The story of Tim DeChristopher’s act of civil disobedience and trial as told in Bidder 70 is fashioned around his opponents. We learn at the opening of the film that employees of the Bureau of Land Management refused to interview and appear in the film suggesting the film’s undertone early on. The film does not explicitly explain the exact law he broke and what he did until the trial, so I found myself lacking the totality of information. As I heard stories from Tim’s childhood, entered the confines of his daily life at home, and witnessed his relationship with his mother and his personal mentor Bill McKibbens, the film sensitized me to his case. I could better understand the rationale behind what he did but it was still unclear to me what exactly happened. I remember opening his Website and Wikipedia page to gain insight. After having a better grasp of the situation, I did not believe that he had committed a prosecutable crime.
Perhaps this was partly due to the nature of Tim’s story as one of a hero wherein there resides a villain. The film shares the value of different types of activism whether it be one person making a banner, protesting with a group, acting bold in the face of a failing government, giving others hope, and most importantly “going to jail for justice.” as Tim says in the film. While it could just be that the film does not show it, Tim never seemed distressed or provocative. His willingness to accept his sentence to defend his cause and leave a positive legacy made me believe in his act of activism. The film promotes this understanding by referencing Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr, other noble heroes that went to jail for civil rights. Comparing the actions of a 27-year-old climate activist to two world renowned leaders is the film’s way of championing him over the villain.
The film does not create a villain but rather exposes the unjust actions of the corporate entities, the fossil fuel industry, and most of all the U.S. legal system. The justice system that discriminated against Tim but not the previous 25 similar bidders. The justice system that barred evidence that the auction was illegal. The same system that prohibited Tim to share his story with the jury. The system that postponed his trial 9 times. And the system that prioritized corporate interests over not just Tim’s but the entire US population’s freedom of speech and right to protection from climate change. This unfair treatment made me further convinced that Tim’s undertakings were a form of true activism. Not just for the environment but for human rights in reminding people of their role in democracy to fight for representation.
Gage, G. & Gage, B. (2012). Bidder 70. United States: Gage & Gage Productions.
