Perhaps what comes to mind when you think of a co-operative is the crunchy grocery store down the street, or a shared-living house in Brooklyn. In A Silent Transformation, a documentary about co-operative systems in Canada, co-ops represent more than just communal ownership; they are one of the most sustainable alternatives to the capitalist system.
From non-competitive board games, to a coffee farm co-operative in Mexico, A Silent Transformation explores the myriad ways that co-operative systems can be manifested today and have been manifested in the past. We learn from this film that central to each co-op is the belief that community and cooperation form the foundation of a just and equitable society.
This is especially true in places like London, Ontario, which is where the film begins. The camera brings us to many corners of the snowy town: a young boy plugs a screw into a skateboard at the local skateboard co-op; families gather at the Native Inter-Tribal Housing Co-op for a hearty meal; a man in a sweatshirt shows the camera crew around The Root Cellar, his organic restaurant in transition to becoming a worker-owned co-operative. As the film describes, London had once been a booming city, but with deindustrialization came a severe economic downturn; the town suddenly found itself abandoned by the factories and companies that had been their main job provider. Facing an economic crisis, the citizens of London decided to take matters into their own hands by creating co-ops throughout the city. These co-ops became the heart of London, providing many more job opportunities while building a strong sense of community.
