Hacking at Leaves

The narrative unfolds in the COVID-19 era, using the pandemic as a lens on how communities respond to health crises and social upheaval. It blends contemporary documentary realism with speculative storytelling, placing events in the early to mid-2020s. The timeframe also frames discussions about the evolving role of makerspaces, technology, and activism in crisis contexts.

The film centers around a makerspace at the Powerhouse Science Center in Durango, Colorado, which produced medical equipment for the Navajo Nation during the COVID-19 crisis. The setting evokes the broader American Southwest and its histories of frontier innovation and community resilience. It situates the story within Indigenous lands and local institutions that intersect with national events.

🕊️ Freedom

Hacking at Leaves treats freedom as a contested American ideal, balancing optimistic myths with critical examination of who truly benefits from liberty. It interrogates national narratives and invites viewers to consider the costs of freedom for marginalized communities. Through DIY culture, activism, and community effort, the film shows how groups carve out space for autonomy within larger systems. The work also acknowledges historical and ongoing struggles tied to settler colonialism while seeking a more inclusive notion of liberty.

🏛️ Settler Colonialism

The film interrogates how the American story is shaped by settler colonial history and its lingering effects on Indigenous communities, including the Navajo Nation. It places critical voices alongside celebratory rhetoric to reveal power dynamics and erasure embedded in national narratives. By positioning technology, activism, and culture within this context, it challenges viewers to rethink what constitutes a true American story.

🦠 Pandemics

Pandemics anchors the documentary frame, grounding the narrative in the COVID-19 crisis and the rapid mobilization of communities. It highlights how makerspaces and DIY networks contributed to urgent health needs and mutual aid. The theme examines the fragility of systems under stress and the resilience that emerges from collective action in times of public health emergency.

🛠️ Community DIY

The film centers on communities and maker spaces as engines of practical innovation and social critique. It portrays artists, hackers, and activists collaborating to challenge mainstream norms and demonstrate alternative models of collaboration. The narrative emphasizes solidarity, local knowledge, and the democratization of technology as tools for social change.

💡 Hacker Culture

Hacker culture is presented as a form of participatory citizenship connected to cinema and activism. Maker spaces are shown as laboratories for experimentation and critique, where technical know-how becomes a means to investigate power structures. The film frames hacking not just as a skill, but as a method for reimagining how communities govern themselves and relate to larger institutions.