A Stone Circle for the Future intertwines my research into ancient stone circles and nuclear semiotics- an interdisciplinary field dedicated to finding ways to communicate the dangers of buried nuclear waste to those living up to 10,000 years from now. The film imagines leaving a literal message for future generations, in the hope that they might learn from our errors and thrive long after we are gone.

Drawing from the guidance for future-proof nuclear waste marker messaging as suggested by Sandia National Labs, and written about in detail by Rosemary Joyce, my aim was to create a film that bridges ancient human history with forward-thinking concepts. The film, laid out like a sci-fi public information piece, features imagined landscapes with unnatural colours, 3D scans of archaeological digs and ancient stones embedded in fantasy environments, and fabricated ‘folly’ stones I filmed in my local area. Circles and spirals throughout the film invite viewers to reflect on the never-ending cycles that connect us.

Amid the real-time breakdown of our climate, genocides, the rise of the hard right, arts cuts, and a housing crisis fracturing communities, it has been difficult to imagine a thriving future. In reaction to this and search of hope, I explored dystopian films, TV shows, and books, eventually discovering the origin of the word apocalypse, meaning ‘reveal’ or 'revelation.’ This sparked a question: What if the apocalypse is not the end? What if there is a future? What then?

While the intended meanings behind ancient stone circles may remain a mystery, we can grasp the enormity of the collective effort required to build them. Spending my time visiting and studying these stones, I have chosen to believe they are ancient messages urging us to congregate, work together, and pass on wisdom: we cannot build alone.

Despite the terrifying threat of nuclear war, the collaborative efforts within the field of nuclear semiotics—which brings together people from various disciplines to imagine futures of care—offers a beacon of hope. Breaking free from our past involves imagining futures of care for those we will never meet. This film is my creative response to the development of these nuclear messages, aiming to highlight an important and fascinating subject that may be unfamiliar to many.

The film evokes a sense of threat and danger, yet I have found comfort in researching nuclear semiotics. This field unites archaeologists, scientists, and artists from diverse backgrounds, all aligned toward a common goal: creating an enduring way to warn the future of our past mistakes. Through this film, I hope to inspire a renewed sense of collective effort and forward-thinking, highlighting the importance of working together to envision and build a better future.