‘Next Year’: Fellow Travelers Actor Jaleni Alladin Stars in LGBTQ Short – Variety

Film Analysis: “Next Year” and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Synopsis of the Film

• Setting: The film is set in a near-future United States where laws based on “traditional values” have been enacted.
• Premise: Homosexual activity is deemed illegal, leading to the systemic persecution of the LGBTQ+ community through state-sanctioned surveillance, police raids, and economic exclusion.
• Protagonist: The narrative follows Robert (Jelani Alladin), a widowed father, as he navigates life and a new relationship under this oppressive regime.
• Conflict: The film explores the struggle for love and survival in a society that has abandoned principles of equality and human rights, serving as a testament to resilience.

Core Thematic Concerns and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The short film “Next Year” presents a dystopian narrative that directly contravenes the core objectives of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. It functions as a cautionary tale by illustrating the societal regression that occurs when fundamental human rights are dismantled. The film’s themes are most critically aligned with the following SDGs:

• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

Detailed SDG Analysis

1. SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   The film’s central plot is a direct inversion of the goals articulated in SDG 10, which aims to promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all.

   • Institutionalized Inequality: The narrative depicts a society where inequality is not merely present but is legally enforced against the LGBTQ+ community.
   • Economic Exclusion: The detail that queer individuals are “banned by banks” highlights a severe form of economic marginalization, preventing access to financial services and full participation in the economy, contrary to the inclusive principles of SDG 10.

2. SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

   “Next Year” portrays a society where the institutions meant to protect citizens have failed, directly challenging the aims of SDG 16.

   • Erosion of Rule of Law: The legal system is shown to be an instrument of persecution rather than justice, targeting individuals based on their identity.
   • Failure of Institutions: Government surveillance and targeted police raids demonstrate a collapse of accountable and inclusive institutions. Instead of ensuring public access to justice and protecting fundamental freedoms, these bodies actively suppress them.

3. SDG 5: Gender Equality

   The film’s themes are intrinsically linked to the foundational principles of SDG 5, which seeks to end all forms of discrimination.

   • Violation of Fundamental Rights: The criminalization of “homosexual activity” represents a profound violation of human rights and an assault on the principles of gender equality and self-determination.
   • State-Sanctioned Discrimination: By making laws that target individuals based on their sexual orientation, the society in the film actively works against the goal of achieving equality and eliminating discriminatory practices.

Filmmakers’ Intent and Conclusion

The film, written and directed by Peter DiMario and Guto Barra, is positioned as a “politically resonant” work intended to serve as a warning. By depicting a future devoid of the protections and values enshrined in the Sustainable Development Goals, “Next Year” underscores their critical importance. The narrative’s focus on the “resilience of love in dark times” reinforces the human element at the heart of the global goals for equality and justice. The film’s circulation in international festivals seeks to amplify this message, highlighting the fragility of human rights and the urgent need to uphold the principles of the SDGs to prevent such a future.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

   The article, by describing a film about the persecution of the LGBTQ+ community, directly connects to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):

   • SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: This is the most prominent SDG addressed. The article describes a society where a specific group of people is systematically discriminated against and excluded based on their sexual orientation. The narrative of queer people being banned by banks, targeted by police, and subjected to surveillance highlights extreme inequality.
   • SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article touches upon the failure of justice and institutions. The government and police are depicted not as protectors of all citizens, but as enforcers of discriminatory laws that target a minority group. This relates to the goal of ensuring equal access to justice and building accountable institutions.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

   Based on the issues of discrimination, legal persecution, and exclusion described, the following specific targets are relevant:

   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.” The film’s premise is the exact opposite of this target, showcasing the social and economic exclusion of queer people who are “banned by banks.”
   • Target 10.3: “Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices…” The article explicitly mentions a future where “‘traditional values’ have become law and homosexual activity is illegal,” which is a direct contravention of this target.
   • Target 16.3: “Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.” The scenario where police conduct raids on gay bars and a government official orders the reporting of “suspicious homosexual activity” demonstrates a breakdown of the rule of law and a denial of equal access to justice for the LGBTQ+ community.
   • Target 16.b: “Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies for sustainable development.” The article describes a society that has moved in the opposite direction by creating and enforcing new laws that are explicitly discriminatory.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

   The article does not mention official UN indicators, but it implies several qualitative and quantitative indicators that measure the regression from the SDG targets:

   • Existence of discriminatory laws: A direct indicator for Target 10.3 and 16.b. The article states that in the film’s world, “homosexual activity is illegal.” The presence of such a law is a clear measure of discrimination.
   • Proportion of population reporting discrimination or harassment: While not a number, the entire premise of the film, which “reflects the challenges facing LGBTQ+ communities,” implies a 100% rate of perceived discrimination within that group. The police raids and government surveillance are forms of state-sanctioned harassment.
   • Access to financial services: An indicator for Target 10.2. The statement that “queer people have been banned by banks” is a direct measure of economic exclusion and lack of access to fundamental financial services.
   • Unlawful or arbitrary detention/surveillance: An indicator for Target 16.3. The mention of “police raids at gay bars” and “extreme surveillance by the government” points to a lack of due process and justice, serving as a measure of institutional failure.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article. In this table, list the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), their corresponding targets, and the specific indicators identified in the article.

   SDGs, Targets and Indicators

   SDGs	Targets	Indicators (Implied from the article)
   SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities	10.2: Promote social, economic and political inclusion of all.	Denial of access to financial services for queer people (“banned by banks”).
   	10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and eliminate discriminatory laws, policies and practices.	Existence of laws making homosexual activity illegal.
   SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions	16.3: Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice.	Targeted police raids on specific community spaces (gay bars).
   	16.b: Promote and enforce non-discriminatory laws and policies.	Government-mandated surveillance and reporting of a specific population (“all suspicious homosexual activity must be reported”).

Source: variety.com