Joe Corré, son of punk visionaries Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm McLaren, burnt an estimated £5M worth of punk memorabilia in protest against the commodification of punk. Wake Up Punk takes this incendiary act and the questions it raises to explore the lifespan and true worth of punk – the 20th century’s most volatile movement.
With a fusion of documentary and magical realism, the film captures intimate moments between Westwood and her two sons Ben and Joe as they candidly discuss their relationships with McLaren and stories from the punk era. Through the music, politics and fashion that drove the movement to its eventual commercial demise, Westwood shares fascinating, in depth insights as she charts the decline of punk and the subsequent rise of climate activism among the younger generations.
Addressing voter apathy, imminent climate catastrophe and the rapidly evolving social context, Wake Up Punk calls for a resurrection of the energy of the “no future” generation.