Art of Impact
North American premiere

You Need This

US •  
2024 •  
82 mins
Wheelchair Accessible

From the makers of the Oscar®-nominatedDon’t Look Up comes a thought-provoking documentary that unpacks hidden forces shaping our lives. Director Ryan Andrej Lough takes us through a looking glass into the grip of consumer capitalism—how it dictates our values, our identities, and even our dreams. More than an economic system, consumerism has evolved into an insidious belief structure that distorts how we measure success, erodes our connections with one another, and pushes our planet toward collapse. Through conversations with economists, dream researchers, and social psychologists, the film unravels how the relentless pursuit of productivity and material wealth robs us of time—time to reflect, to connect, to dream, to simply be. Featuring insights from Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, Juliet Schor, and Reverend Billy, You Need Thischallenges us to rethink our role in an unsustainable system and imagine a different way forward—before we lose what matters most.

Director/s

Ryan Andrej Lough Ryan Andrej Lough

RYAN ANDREJ LOUGH is a director, producer, and writer for motion pictures and print media. These projects include Mediterranea(2015), Entertainment(2015), the Academy Award®-nominated Buzkashi Boys (2012), and the Netflix series Human Playground(2022). Ryan’s most recent film, You Need This (2025), explores consumer-capitalism and propaganda, and their effects on the planet and society. As a writer, Ryan’s work has appeared in Anthony Bourdain’s Roads & Kingdoms, CNN, Slate, and various fiction publications. Ryan is a graduate of Northwestern University and a Sundance Institute Alum.

Expected Guests

RYAN ANDREJ LOUGH: Director

Tickets

Saturday, May 3, 2025 at 5:00 PMRafael 2
COUNTRY
US
YEAR
2024
Premiere
North American premiere
RUNTIME
82 minutes
DIRECTOR/S
Ryan Andrej Lough
LANGUAGE
English
PRODUCER
Adam McKay, Isidoor Roebers, Cecilia Butler, Tyler Owen, Lea Fels
CINEMATOGRAPHER
Michael J Weldon
EDITOR
Jarrad Quadir
NOTE WRITER
Michelle Svenson