Why Poverty? (a documentary series)

May 31, 2013
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Steps is a partnership of two non-profit organisation (one in Denmark, the other in South Africa) that commissions documentaries to raise awareness about important social issues. For it’s most recent project, called Why Poverty?, it commissioned eight documentaries and 30 short films on the topic of poverty. These are powerful and thought-provoking films that really help to shed light on the issue of poverty. One of the great documentaries in this series, Park Avenue: money, power, and the American dream, is a fascinating look into the lives of the people living at 740 Park Ave., the most exclusive address in New York City. But this is not Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. The purpose of this film is not to glorify the Koch brothers or other members of the one-percent, but to expose the influence they exert on the political system in the US. The film provides documentary evidence of how and why the rich get richer while the poor get poorer. The film is made by Alex Gibney, who also directed Enron: The Smartest Guy in the Room and Taxi to the Dark Side. The film Park Avenue, shown below, drew an angry response from David Koch, which is the subject of this interesting New Yorker article by Jane Meyer. Further discussion of recent attempts by the one percent to control the mainstream media and stay out of its spotlight can be found in this Democracy Now segment.

 

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