Payback (2012 film)

Payback
Directed byJennifer Baichwal
Written byJennifer Baichwal
Margaret Atwood (original book, Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth
Produced byRavida Din
CinematographyNicholas de Pencier
Edited byNick Hector
Music byMartin Tielli
Production
company
Distributed byZeitgeist Films
Mongrel Media (Canada)
Release date
  • January 20, 2012 (2012-01-20) (Sundance)
Running time
86 minutes
CountryCanada
LanguagesEnglish
Spanish
Albanian

Payback is a 2012 documentary film from Jennifer Baichwal based on Margaret Atwood's Payback: Debt and the Shadow Side of Wealth, which investigates the concept of debt in societies across the world (and not only on a monetary level).[1][2]

As a Canadian, Baichwal was quite familiar with Atwood's reputation:

Her books are almost required reading if you grow up in Canada. I was almost nervous about meeting her because she’s so intelligent and articulate, but she puts you so much at ease. As intelligent as she is, she never makes you feel that you’re not on her level. As Mark Twain said, “Really great people make you feel that you, too, can become great.”[3]

A number of prominent intellectuals provide commentary, including economist and writer Raj Patel, ecologist William E. Rees, historian of religions Karen Armstrong, and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour.[3]

The film was produced by Ravida Din for the National Film Board of Canada. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival. Payback is distributed by Zeitgeist Films, which also distributed Baichwal's previous works Act of God and Manufactured Landscapes. The film is being distributed in Canada by Mongrel Media, beginning March 2012.[1][4][5]

  1. ^ a b Monk, Katherine (22 January 2012). "Atwood learns to let go in Payback". canada.com. Postmedia News. Retrieved 22 January 2012.
  2. ^ Groen, Rick (16 March 2012). "Payback: A film's courageous attempt to wrestle with debt" (Film review). The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 16 March 2012.
  3. ^ a b Fulton, Ben (27 January 2012). "Sundance: A documentary about debt offers a big 'Payback'". Salt Lake Tribune. Archived from the original on 24 January 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  4. ^ "Canadian directors ready for Sundance film fest". CBC News. 20 January 2012. Retrieved 21 January 2012.
  5. ^ "Zeitgeist Films Grabs Rights to Sundance 2012 Doc 'Payback'". The Hollywood Reporter. 16 December 2011. Retrieved 1 March 2012.