Released this fall in Canada  and  in the United States …details soon

In the early days of the system, that came to be known as Capitalism, political economists of all stripes struggled to understand the laws that govern the flow of capital – and of Capitalism’s related activities. As a result, a critical assessment and sketchy understanding of how Capitalism worked began to emerge. But in recent times, as the system, and the world, has grown a hundredfold more complex we have veered away from the pursuit of any clear, critical understanding of the phenomenon. Economic departments in most major universities in the English-speaking world have abolished courses in the history of Economic and political economy. We are left with incomprehensible mathematical models whose relevance to the real world is hotly disputed.

We were told very little about Adam Smith, David Ricardo and Thomas Malthus yet their names have been used to give legitimacy to contemporary economic activities.
To further obscure the issues, this « econo speak » has been supplemented by endless superficial news reports, pundits discussions and analysis filled with clichés and superficial information.

Our series intends to puncture this veil of opacity to go beyond the current « econo- speak » to re examine the ideas which have been used in the past 40 to reshape the world.

Is today’s economic crisis a temporary blimp on the road to progress or a symptom of a deeper crisis of the system as a whole?
Can the big ideas of the at the heart of our Economic system help us understand today’s economic crisis, or obscure it?
And more importantly – can they show us a way out?

THE SERIES 

Our series examines Capitalism’ “DNA”. Each chapter is devoted to key ideas, which have shaped the system and key thinkers who authored them.

Ours is not a history lesson but a contemporary investigation. Key ideas and concepts are being illustrated and examined strictly in their contemporary reality.

The investigation is being led by our story tellers; key thinkers and scholars who help to explore the relevance of key ideas and key thinkers in Capitalism and their relevance to the understanding of today’s reality. We have assembled an int’l list of scholars. Their interviews are being combined with filming in over 22 countries, illustrating key ideas by examining their contemporary reality.

The result is six riveting cinematic essays a comprehensive look behind today’s headlines and a sorely missed context to what seems to be an endless torrent of distressing and incomprehensible news reports and pundit discussions.

Zadig Productions (France), Megafun Productions (Canada), ARTE ( France/Germany) T.A.M.I. Media (Israel)

Producers: Bruno Nahon, Paul Cadieux and Ilan Ziv

Director : Ilan Ziv

Trailer

FROM THE PRESS:

“With the series Capitalism, Ilan Ziv created a captivating epic that helps us to understand today’s crisis and the inequalities…a series that without doubt becomes a major contribution to economic and social reflection.”

Le monde

 “The ambition is huge but Ilan Ziv, the director, succeeds to bring clarity to confusion makes complexities accessible and produces a clear narrative of a system that seems opaque to most people”

Journal du Dimanche

That  which sometimes seems dulls ,  becomes here  passionate as in a breathless investigation.”

“An editorial act  which is both powerful and rare  the series Capitalism directed by Ilan Ziv  demonstrate the power of television and its capacity  of being  means through which  the world of ideas can become an actor in public debate.”

Head of Arte editorial department.

 ” Six episodes of a masterly documentary series, which  is going to revolutionize our vision  of the economic world.”

La Vie

“Turn on your television sets, forget all the other programs and plunge into Capitalism , the documentary series.”

Nouvelle Ob

 “There are moments of television that should not be missed. This six-part series from director Ilan Ziv on the long history of capitalism – four years of work. Building on several key authors who have tried to think, from Adam Smith to David Ricardo, Karl Marx, Friedrich Hayek, John Maynard Keynes but also Karl Polanyi, each episode combines a highly educational explanations of concepts, economic history and contemporary life, to give a series of documentaries under an hour each of which it is difficult to stop watching !”

Alternatives Economiques

“First lets me help to remove any mental block you might have from watching this series. When you hear about a series on Capitalism you can suspect another neo marxist silliness or some new age rant… this is a truly captivating series that delves into history, philosophy, investigates four corners of the planet and try to stimulate the viewer with reexamination of the basic concepts that define our lives… so whether you are free tonight or not please do yourselves a favor and do not miss this series. ( he gave the series a 10 out 10 mark)

Globes ( Israel economic daily)

The series was chosen as one of the ten best programs in France in 2014

 

Yanis Varoufakis, Greece’ former  finance minster explains the true meaning of “bailout”