Debt is an integral component of our current system of inequality. Almost all money is conjured into reality at the moment when banks make loans. This means our money supply is effectively on lease from private banks, giving them inordinate power determine the course of our economic, social and common good. Yet we, the public, do not yet fully understand the way money comes into existence – and while we remain in the dark, there will be no way to change course.
Artist/filmmaker team Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell live in an area plagued by debt – mortgage debt, credit card debt, public debt – which impoverishes families, communities and public services. So they recruit their neighbors to set up a bank in their High Street to print their own currency which they then sell as art works. The plan is to raise money to support the local school and community projects and, more daringly, to buy up over $1 million of the debts of local people. These debts are being sold on the market for a small fraction of their face value. Bank Job follows Dan and Hilary as they succeed in their aim, eventually (and spectacularly) blowing up the debt in the shadow of London’s financial district. Along the way, they meet with economists, politicians and anti-debt campaigners in America to discover how debt is created in our economy and ask important questions about how the system of money creation might be altered in society’s favor…not just to the banking system’s benefit.
With wit, insight, and gunpowder, Bank Job argues that these debts are a result of a monetary system which is impoverishing multitudes by design, and which could be changed.
Featuring interviews with: Professor Andrew Ross, founder of Strike Debt; economist Ann Pettifor, co-founder of Jubilee 2000; late anthropologist and activist David Graeber, author of Bullshit Jobs: A Theory; and Financial Times columnist Martin Wolf.
"This is an exceptional depiction of the power of communities educating each other and organizing to chip away at a systemic issue like, in this case, debt. People must see stories like this to understand that, despite our hopelessness, more people feel like us than we think. Putting together campaigns and moving in solidarity to address problems creatively are the only ways we can survive what is happening now and what is to come." —Julian Hill, Assistant Professor of Law, Founding Co-Director, Community Development and Entrepreneurship Law Clinic, Georgia State University
"This movie is glorious! Bank Job exposes the workings of creditocracy but also explores another form of currency - one they created as an art project to fund their debt-strike efforts. This alternative currency is backed by principles of mutual aid, collective courage, and the belief that people deserve to live dignified lives. Viewers are presented with a powerful challenge: what they've accomplished - buying debt for pennies on the dollar and abolishing it - could be done anywhere. It's a must-watch for anyone who needs to believe that a better world is possible, one that is not only better than the current system but also closer than we might think." —Stephen Healy, Associate Professor of Human Geography and Urban Studies, Western Sydney University, Co-author, Take Back the Economy: An Ethical Guide for Transforming Our Communities
"Entertaining, smart, and clever, Bank Job pulls back the curtain to expose the pervasive and exploitative nature of the debt industry, offering both critique and a playful sense of hope for change. The film is also a wonderful example of how art and creativity can subvert capitalist logics and be turned towards social aims and the greater good. Highly recommended for anyone who is interested in or impacted by debt and global finance, which is to say pretty much everyone." —Eric Ryan Sarmiento, Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies, Texas State University
"Heartwarming...Filled with community spirit...A likable documentary with a big heart and some punch-the-air moments." —Cath Clarke, The Guardian
"A knockout guide to the debt economy. The film owes something to the cheerful tradition of Ealing comedy. But the heart of the matter is never made a joke." —Danny Leigh, Financial Times
"An entertaining, rollicking, and informative window into our assumptions about money and debt. Bank Job sparks curiosity and invites an elemental conversation into questions such as: What is money? How is it created and by whom? And why doesn't our monetary system serve human communities rather than plunder them with debt?" —Chuck Collins, Director, Program on Inequality and the Common Good, Institute for Policy Studies, Author, Burned by Billionaires and The Wealth Hoarders
"Bank Job entertains, educates and inspires, revealing how our economic system is founded upon indebtedness of ordinary people and showcasing how collective efforts can make a real difference in addressing economic inequalities. This eye-opening film offers a unique blend of satire, activism, and insightful commentary, drawing viewers into the creators' audacious project to challenge the banking system from within. This is a must-watch for those who seek to understand and confront the financial forces shaping our world." —Jungook Kim, Assistant Professor of Management, Chatham University
"Bank Job introduces viewers to 'creditocracy,' or a system 'where vital needs are financed by debt.' We learn how the creation of money by private banks is linked to a flow of profits from ongoing indebtedness and how this debt becomes a commodity itself. The film follows the creation of a local 'bank' selling local currency created for a different purpose - to buy local payday loans on the debt market for pennies on the dollar and cancel these debts, and to support the local school, food bank, soup kitchen, and youth services whose leaders appear on the currency. A great film for classes with a focus on poverty and inequality, and sure to raise many questions for discussion afterward." —Elizabeth J. Mueller, Professor of Community and Regional Planning and Social Work, University of Texas at Austin
"[A] blend of mischief, activism and awareness-raising antics...There's a real warmth in the scenes which show an eclectic group of volunteers pulling together to make fake money." —Wendy Ide, Screen Daily
"Eye opening...Bank Job lays out a mission statement then backs it up with some staggering statistics. Beyond the eradication of debt, which is the end game for Dan and Hilary, this documentary celebrates human ingenuity above all else." —Martin Carr, Flickering Myth
"Brilliantly tantalizing, bursting with creative enthusiasm and bouncy energy, this cheeky work of artistic activism is out to subvert our debt-driven economy. Who says smashing injustice can't be fun?" —MaryAnn Johanson, Flick Filosopher
"An important, human documentary that involves emotions, frustrations, and good information." —Emilie Black, Cinema Crazed
"A compelling exploration into a deep and dank money pit, with a sharp, vivid focus on the humanity at the centre of artistic and social endeavors." —Daniel Goodwin, HeyUGuys
"A fun film about finance - really? From the very first frame I was hooked on this can-do documentary. It's that good." —Sarah Kent, The Artsdesk.com
