Documentary
      Release

The Movie

The Cost of Growth challenges Europe’s growth story by exposing the extractive systems it relies on and the communities that pay the price.

With an international cast, the film connects struggles in Serbia, Italy, and Sápmi to wider fights for justice — showing how communities resist extraction, build solidarities, and expose the violence behind Europe’s economy.

Winter Break

18 December 2025

The Cost of Growth team is taking a break until the 11th of January 2026.

You can still request information for a screening but we won’t be available to answer questions.

Take care!

Want to organize a pre-screening?

Get in touch.

We are currently organizing pre-screenings in most countries.

Important to know:

In Switzerland we currently do not organize any pre-screenings because we’ve applied to a film festival.

For screenings in Italy you can contact our Partner Voice Over Foundation.

If you fill in the form, you will receive information to organize a screening in your email directly.

Upcoming Pre-Screenings

The Cost of Growth premiered through private grassroots pre-screenings across Belgium in October 2025, before moving to the Netherlands and other countries. In 2026, the film enters festivals and continues its journey worldwide.
Join us at upcoming grassroots screenings and be part of the conversation about who owns the economy.

Upcoming Screenings

NOVEMBER

Friday 28 November, Gent, Belgium
Housing co-op private screening

Saturday 29  November, Rome, Italy
In collaboration with Voice-Over
More info & Tickets: Event page

Sunday 30  November, Reading, UK
In collaboration with Activists Without Borders UK
More info & Tickets: Event page


DECEMBER

Monday 1 December, Brussels, European Parliament
More info & tickets: Event Page

Tuesday 2 December, Mechelen, Thomas Moore
More info & tickets: Event Page

Tuesday 2 December, Antwerpen, Lucy’s
More info & tickets: Event Page

Tuesday 2 December, Bologna, Italy
In collaboration with Voice-Over
More info & Tickets: Event page

Wednesday 3 December, Gent, HoGent
More info & tickets: Event Page

Friday 5 December, Leiden, Netherlands
Leiden University, Institute of Environmental Sciences (CML)
PhD Committee (Private Screening)

Friday 5 December, Barcelona, La Cinètika
More info & tickets: Event page

Wednesday 10 December, Gent, ABVV
More info & tickets: Event page

Monday 15 December, Brussels, Impact Hub
European Climate Pact and Impact Hub
More info & tickets: Event page

Screenings in other countries

We are planning over 250 screenings worldwide.

Do you want to organize a screening in your country?
Email us at contact@systemicaction.org

Past Pre-Screenings

First Belgian Pre-Screening
Wednesday 1 October, Ghent -Theater Tinnenpot
In collaboration with Linx+
More info & Tickets: Event page and Theater page


Thursday 2 October, Estonia
Beyond Growth Conference Estonia

Monday 13 October, Hasselt -Vrijzinnig Punt
In collaboration with Linx+
More info & Tickets: Event page

Wednesday 15 October, Leuven - Pangea
In collaboration with Linx+
More info & Tickets: Event page

Tuesday 21 October, Ghent - Ghent University
In collaboration with Linx+
More info & Tickets: Event page

Thursday 30 October, Antwerp - De Roma
In collaboration with Linx+
More info & Tickets: De Roma

Wednesday 5 November, Gent - Campus Sint-Lucas Gent Belgium
In collaboration
with Linx+
More info & Tickets: Event page


Tuesday 11 November, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Theory Practice Lab
Private event

Saturday 15 November, Antwerp , Belgium
In collaboration with Vredesactie
More info & Tickets: Event page

Tuesday 18 November, Kortrijk, Belgium 
In collaboration with Vredesactie
More info & Tickets: Event page

Tuesday 18 November, Amsterdam , Netherlands
In collaboration with Lab111
More info & Tickets: Event page

Thursday 20 November, Zagreb, Croatia
Forum for Freedom in Education
Private screening

Monday 24  November, Utrecht, Netherlands
In collaboration with JUPITA
More info & Tickets: Event page

Tuesday 25  November, Firenze, Italy
In collaboration with Voice-Over
More info & Tickets: Event page

We need your support to bring the movie to the world.

As much as we’re excited to move beyond growth, we're still making this movie in a capitalist reality. We’ve done as much as possible voluntarily but making a high-quality movie has some costs involved.

Help us cover our costs

Who are we growing this economy for?

What if the climate crisis is about much more than the climate?

What is the cost of growth for humanity?

Partners