About the Acts of Courage Movie Club: Movies have the ability to transplant us into someone else’s story so that we might see the world as they do. This not only helps us relate to people of all ages, backgrounds, cultures, and circumstances, but helps us understand ourselves better. Great movies connect us with the truth of who we are and the world in which we live, while simultaneously awakening our imagination to new possibilities.
The Acts of Courage Movie Club is a collection of movies we found to be particularly insightful in how we act – and don’t act – with courage. Just like a good book club, we’ve compiled a list of thought provoking questions designed to fuel conversation and further your own introspection.
So grab the remote and a bucket of popcorn and join us as we explore the ways courage permeates our world through the artistry of a really good flick.
Dunkirk is a Powerful Exploration of Leadership and Why a Title is Not Enough.
Acts of Courage Co-Founder Christine Staub recently wrote a beautiful blog post about the impact the movie Dunkirk had on her and her thoughts about what makes a leader.
“In times of war, not all leaders wear uniforms, and not all those in uniform act like leaders. This message is beautifully portrayed in Christopher Nolan’s 2017 movie Dunkirk. Using sparse dialogue, evocative music and carefully selected imagery, Nolan recounts the almost miraculous World War II evacuation of over 330,000 allied soldiers trapped by the advancing Germans on France’s North Shore.”
You can read Christine’s post about Dunkirk here.
Dunkirk offers powerful illustrations of courage – and the lack thereof – in a tremendously wide range of characters.
As you watch, here are some questions for thought and discussion:
- As you watched the movie, what emotions were stirred up based on how people interacted, the choices they made or how they responded to challenge?
- Where did you see someone facing into fear and demonstrating courage?
- Where did you see opportunities when courage could have made a difference but didn’t due to giving in to fear or doubt?
- Who or what was most inspiring to you in the movie?
- What would be one key learning to take about what NOT to do or how NOT to act based on what you saw?
- What would be two key take-aways for you from the movie that you can apply to your life – at work and / or at home?
- If your life were to be made into a movie, what parts would you feel best about and how would you wish to change the script by accessing more courage – which “ACT” of courage would make the biggest difference?
- What notable examples of leadership have you noticed at home, at work or in your community this week?
As you move through the week, notice how many times fear (from mild concern to deep fear about the future) shows up for you and those around you. Is this media driven, or showing up in your daily life?
Who is a leadership role model from your family, social and professional sphere? Would you please share something about them in the comments below? Let us inspire each other to take our place as leaders in support o core human values!