January 10,2007
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Coming Soon to Hollywood: How We Spend
Like many struggling artists seeking fame and fortune, filmmaker Danny Schechter is having trouble marketing his latest documentary. He, unlike his peers, has a clear understanding of why the big studios want nothing to do with his project, however – because it sheds a grim light on the ugly realities of American debt. As the film contains several blatant shots at the very financial bigwigs whose fat pockets drive picture distribution and advertising, Schechter has found himself to be unpopular in Tinseltown.
His project is titled: "In Debt We Trust," and explores what he terms the "financialization" of the typical American life. Schechter claims that his own debt struggles were the inspiration for the film, which also interviews many people who have fallen for the "trap" of easy credit and subsequent "debt serfdom." While Schechter seeks distribution deals, he is offering DVDs of the film on his website, indebtwetrust.com.