There is a great risk that one of the largest relief operations in history will be similar in nature to the tsunami relief efforts in 2004, unless a radically different approach to a reconstruction model is adopted. Haiti was partially destroyed by an earthquake measuring 7 on the Richter scale. We have all shed tears and the media, as they bombard us with apocalyptic images, report on financial pledges generous States have made. We know that Haiti needs to be rebuilt, this country hard-hit by poverty and “its curse”. Therefore, at the moment, the focus is on Haiti. Comments fail to look beyond the terrible earthquake. We are told that it is one of the poorest countries in the world without any explanations provided. We are led to believe that poverty just happened, that it is a situation beyond remedy: “Haiti is an accursed land”.

Serge Latouch, Philippe Diaz, and Susan George at the premiere in France.

Jean-Jacques Beinex and Philippe Diaz at the premiere in France.

Jean-Jacques Beinex and Philippe Diaz at the premiere in France.

Charles Berling who did the voiceover for the French version of the film

Philippe Diaz filming with Eve Jackson his France24 interview.

Philippe Diaz filming with Eve Jackson his France24 interview.

Philippe Diaz filming his France24 interview.

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine from Canada was in town on business and stayed with me for the weekend. As we looked through a Los Angeles guidebook, he told me he wanted to make sure we stopped at a Target. Apparently there are no Targets in Canada, and he wanted to buy some clothes there before he left.
I rarely shop at Target (and don’t buy clothes when I do) and I was shocked at how low the prices were for clothes — in many cases, lower than …

The End of Poverty? is playing for THIRD WEEK in San Francisco. Also, don’t forget the film is playing in Denver and Austin starting December 18th!

Founder of Cinema Libre Studio and director of the documentary, “The End of Poverty?” was featured on several radio shows, podcasts, and websites in the last couple of weeks.

Nicole R. from Oregon recently made a donation to sponsor a group of Social Justice students at Portland State University! Thanks to Nicole, 25 college students are now able to see The End of Poverty? for free. As a thank you, Nicole will receive a 50% off coupon for an entire order at the Cinema Libre Store, a copy of  The End of Poverty? DVD and (1) free DVD distributed by Cinema Libre Studio. Thank you Nicole!
If you would like to make a donation to sponsor a group to see …

‘The End of Poverty?’: Documentary on a crisis

G. Allen Johnson
Thursday, December 3, 2009

Philippe Diaz wants you to know that his documentary “The End of Poverty?” is not a call for worldwide socialism – even though it advocates a redistribution of wealth that would make Rush Limbaugh scream.

But the fact is, much of the world is in poverty – mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, where Northern Hemisphere countries get much of their resources – and it’s a situation that, left unchecked, will surely lead to some type of global catastrophe, he …

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This Friday, SEE the new film that NY audiences scrambled to witness!  Begins its one-week run at Edwards University Town Center 6 in Irvine and continues at Laemmle’s Monica 4-Plex in Santa Monica for a second week.  The first film ever to connect the dots between colonialism, globalization and poverty and show that poverty is not an accident.

“****..EXCELLENT”
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze.com

“POWERFUL”
Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com
“…should be required viewing by every politician in the world.”
Eric Monder, Film Journal International

“Simply the finest documentary …

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“A sort of ‘An Inconvenient Truth’ for global economics…a powerful description of how Western policies since colonialism have subjugated Third World countries.”
-Charles Masters, The Hollywood Reporter
“FOUR STARS…EXCELLENT”
Kam Williams, NewsBlaze.com
“POWERFUL and UPSETTING”
Andrew O’Hehir, Salon.com
Narrated by Martin Sheen, The End of Poverty? is a daring, thought-provoking and very timely documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Philippe Diaz, revealing that poverty is not an accident. It began with military conquest, slavery and colonization that resulted in …

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