There’s been some buzz about this film lately in the various news blogs I read; it will be opening in select theaters throughout the US on November 13 and will also be screened by many community organizations, churches, universities, etc. The makers of the movie, Brave New Films (witty, isn’t it?) provide the following description on the film’s website.
WAL-MART: The High Cost of Low Price takes you behind the glitz and into the real lives of workers and their families, business owners and their communities, in an extraordinary journey that will challenge the way you think, feel… and shop.
Review from Salon
What makes the movie so powerful is the totality of the portrait, both in its details and its sweep. Most of these people are entirely unexceptional Americans from the working class or lower-middle class, believers in flag and country and God and capitalism, not left-wing activists or academics with some theoretical critique. Most of them believed in Wal-Mart, too, and were genuinely horrified to learn that its low prices depended on enforced poverty, whether theirs or somebody else’s.
To find a screening near you, visit the movie’s screenings website. Better yet, sign up to host a screening, find out why your college isn’t hosting one (yes, I mean you, Willamette and Pacific students/staff!), and get involved in getting the word out. Portland-area organizations have many screenings planned, and I definitely plan to attend.
Other sites to check out
Walmart Movie Blog
Watch the Trailer
Walmart Movie Flickr Site
Walmart Hunkers Down After Bad Publicity
Official Response to Movie
Walmart’s Press Release regarding employee benefits
Walmart’s actual policy regarding employee benefits