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THE PRICE WE PAY Featured at VIFF
By Katherine DoddsHarold Crooks' new film tackles economic injustice. A film for the 99%!
I’m really looking forward to seeing our friend Harold Crooks’ new film - The Price We Pay - which is coming to VIFF. The documentary offers a 90-minute look at corporate tax avoidance through the creation of offshore havens, and how many tech giants of the “cloud” economy seem to be eroding the very foundation of democracy.
It’s also up for an Impact Award, another initiative by our pals at Agentic Digital Media and Story Money Impact (Read about the Impact Awards below).
Harold co-wrote The Corporation’s narration and I’m excited to see him tackle such an important social justice topic as tax havens. Harold was also on the street in NYC during Occupy, and knows first-hand how strongly current the issue of economic justice is.
So far “The Price We Pay” has garnered big praise at its TIFF premiere with film critic Jason Gorber pronouncing it:
“one of the strongest docs of the year, one that's both timely and highly provocative.”
The Corporation filmmaker Mark Achbar agrees:
“If you've ever wondered why our social and cultural programs are starved for funds, why health care is being rationed, and why, as a society, we're becoming ever more miserly, here's a plausible explanation: The scale of tax evasion by the world's wealthy and the world's wealthiest corporations is simply staggering. Harold Crooks shows us the mechanisms and far-reaching consequences of this phenomenon in his fascinating new film, The Price We Pay. Entirely watchable. Essential viewing.”
~Mark Achbar
Among the tax justice activists featured in the film are familiar names such as John Christensen, Nick Shaxson, James Henry, Alain Deneault and Krishen Mehta, as well as Robin Hood Tax activist Dr. William Barclay of the Chicago Political Economy Group, former French banker Daniel Lebègue of Transparency International, as well as National Nurses United, the largest union and professional association of registered nurses in America.
"Near miraculous, terrific bit of journalism, riveting"
- Jason Gorber, Nonfics.com
Recently quoted in Reel Screen, here’s some of what Harold had to say about the film:
“I had to keep my eye on so many issues: whether U.S. Congress or the British parliament, the new French president or Ireland would deal with the rising public pressure over these issues, over tax havens, about corporate tax avoidance – and wondering if there was going to be some legislation or some big breakthrough in the change of international tax rules that would date the film.”
“What happened was really quite the opposite. We couldn’t have predicted that at the very moment the film came out, that tax inversions would be front page – Burger King and Tim Hortons and Apple – so the timing of it turned out to be a stroke of great fortune for our film.”
The Price We Pay is produced by Nathalie Barton and InformAction Films with the collaboration of Ici Radio-Canada and Filmoption International.
Check the film out on Facebook
Get your VIFF tickets!
Showtimes
Oct 04 01:00 pm
International Village #9
Oct 05 08:45 pm
International Village #9
ABOUT THE IMPACT AWARD
Recognizing that documentary filmmaking can be a powerful agent of change, this award is intended for the director of a Canadian documentary that's deeply concerned with social issues. It's designed to offer some of the resources necessary to amplify the film's message, ensuring that it resonates long after its VIFF screening, potentially transforming the movie into a movement.
The award includes:
$5,000 cash award sponsored by Agentic Digital Media
$5,000 in marketing and strategic in-kind services supplied by Agentic and Story Money Impact
The six nominated films are The Boy From Geita, Everything Will Be, Just Eat It: A Food Waste Story, Monsoon, The Price We Pay and The Pristine Coast. These films will all screen at VIFF between September 25 and October 4, 2014, and the winner will be announced at the BC Spotlight Gala on Saturday, October 4 at 6:30pm at the Vancouver Playhouse.
SPONSORS
Agentic is a web development agency that provides core website design, strategy, and transformational digital media solutions. We specialize in creating websites for social change organizations and believe in using digital media for good.
The Corporation film's success in 2003, impact producing in Canada has shown how documentary storytelling can create real social change. We are extremely excited to work with the next group of committed and innovative filmmakers.
~ Phillip Djwa, Principal Agentic Digital Media
Story Money Impact is an initiative, founded by Tracey Friesen, which seeks to increase connections between artists, funders and activists. Given the right partnerships and resources, media can change hearts, minds, behaviours - and public policy.
I have a passionate conviction that strongly crafted, compellingly told real life stories elicit the kind of emotion that can lead to positive social change. I believe in the power of film, and the importance of supporting Canadian filmmakers – beliefs that are shared by both VIFF and by Phillip Djwa of Agentic Digital Media.
~ Tracey Friesen, Founder Story Money Impact
Tag(s): Economic Justice, Tax Havens, The Price We Pay
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