A “No!” to Neoliberalism

Dubliners will know this story all too well. It’s hard to find a place, and rents are insane. Then there is the threat of eviction. As you’re reading this, people across Dublin are fighting to stay in their homes. They have nowhere to go despite many vacant buildings across town. Displace: The Battle for Dublin captures Dublin as a city that is turning into a commodity. There is no place for community, just consumers. Urban ruins, like the Iveagh Market, remind us of a time where public places were buzzing with life. Moore Street is one of the few ones that is still standing. But it is under constant threat from property developers, itching to build yet another hotel. It can drive you to despair, but the documentary won’t let you. Director James Redmond’s powerful film is a rallying cry for reclaiming Dublin for its people, not companies.  

From freezing apartments, broken windows, to mould, Displace: The Battle for Dublin tells the personal stories behind the corporate attack on housing. Nowadays, affordable rent feels more like a privilege than a right. This grave realisation drains the film of colour. Its black and white visuals mourn the social devastation that decades of neoliberal politics have left in their wake. The slow disappearance of Dublin’s art scene is another symptom of these transformations. Spaces for creativity are vital for tackling political questions and challenging us to think differently about our everyday lives. With each closure, Dublin loses a piece of its vibrant soul. 

Displace: The Battle for Dublin protests Dublin’s bleak future as a soulless collection of shiny office buildings. On the ground with unionised organisation CATU (Community Action Tenants Union), it gives a platform to the growing grassroot movement that brings together tenants in their fight for decent housing. A single voice can be drowned out by corporates, but thousands of them are a force to be reckoned with. They are key to solving the housing crisis. Overcoming differences and organising as a community, that’s what will drive change. Dublin belongs to its people, not corporates, and it’s time to reclaim it – with this powerful message the documentary sends audiences out into the streets, to get involved, and to have their voices heard.