THE GREAT AMERICAN LIE is now available for home viewing.
The Great American Lie examines the roots of systemic inequalities through a unique gender lens. With America facing widening economic inequality and stagnant social mobility, this film takes audiences on an empathy journey, inspiring a path forward.
“America’s obsession with money, power, and individual success above all else has created and perpetuated systems of major inequality. An upside-down hierarchy of values is to blame for the four current crises Americans face: vast economic inequality, racial injustice, climate change, and Covid-19. We need renewed economic and social mobility in this country, and I am optimistic that this film can spark a national conversation on how valuing care, compassion, and collaboration can make the American Dream a reality for everyone who calls this great country home.” – Jennifer Siebel Newsom, Director of The Great American Lie
ABOUT THE FILM
Emmy Award-winning filmmaker and First Partner of California Jennifer Siebel Newsom has completed her newest documentary, The Great American Lie. The film, which premiered at the San Francisco International Film Festival in 2019, aims to expose social and economic immobility, viewed through the lens of our gendered values.
“We need renewed economic and social mobility in this country,” said Siebel Newsom. “I hope my film will spark a national conversation around how the elevation of stereotypically ‘masculine’ values has led to extreme social and economic immobility and how, if we elevate more ‘feminine’ values such as empathy, care, and community, we can fix some of these systemic inequities.”
We are currently living in one of the greatest periods of social and economic inequality in our nation’s history. Today, the top 0.1% of Americans own as much wealth as the bottom 90%. In 2017 alone, 82% of new wealth created went to the top 1%.
Meanwhile, one in five American children and one in eight American women live in poverty – despite us being one of the wealthiest countries on earth. Increasing inequality has created deep social, economic, and political divides. Clearly the status quo is not working.
The Great American Lie exposes how this inequality is rooted in our beliefs with the cultural pendulum swinging too far towards revering things we consider “masculine,” like individualism, power, and money, at the expense of things we consider “feminine,” like empathy, care, and collaboration.
PRESS AND TESTIMONIALS
PRESS
DEADLINE: Announcing the Release of ‘The Great American Lie’
USA TODAY: Exclusive: Sneak Peeks at All the Fall Movies You’ll Want to Stream
SF CHRONICLE: Jennifer Siebel Newsom Gets at the Truth Behind “The Great American Lie”
FILMMAKER MAGAZINE: The Great American Lie: Jim Hemphill’s Home Video Recommendations
WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY: Jennifer Siebel Newsom Hones in on ‘The Great American Lie’
WOMEN AND HOLLYWOOD: Pick of the Day: ‘The Great American Lie’
ON AIR WITH RYAN SEACREST: Jennifer Siebel Newsom Details New Docu ‘The Great American Lie’
TESTIMONIALS
“The Great American Lie adds new layers to the inequality discussion, new layers about gender, and about kids who grow up seeing so much pain and poverty. The film ends on a positive message that encourages engagement—just right.”
—Elizabeth Warren, United States Senator
“Director Jennifer Siebel Newsom has once again created a documentary that is destined to become an instant classic that will be talked about and referenced for decades to come. The Great American Lie is a must-see for everyone eager to make sense of the ever-widening income gap that is currently threatening the fabric of our democracy. This film, like Jennifer’s earlier films, Miss Representation and The Mask You Live In— is ahead of its time in excavating issues that will soon dominate the zeitgeist. Via powerful storytelling and searing interviews, The Great American Lie is a cinematic tour de force that gets to the core of questions which haunt all Americans.”
—Amy Ziering, Film Producer, The Invisible War, The Hunting Ground, On The Record
“The stories in The Great American Lie were so powerful and moving…this is such an important message you are sharing and so thoughtfully and intelligently executed… I hope that the film reaches a very wide audience.”
—Kristen Connolly Vadas, TV/Film Producer/Writer
“Extraordinary. Extraordinary. Extraordinary. I admire your artistry and the gift you have given us with The Great American Lie. I cannot wait for everyone to see this. You will change so many lives. I want to show this film to everyone I know.”
—Jayme Lemons, Producer
“AMAZING WORK!! The Great American Lie is a great film, and it is the PERFECT time for it. This film can change hearts and minds and really enlighten people.”
—Scott Budnick, Film Producer, Just Mercy, The Hangover Parts I & II
FILM FESTIVALS
The Great American Lie premiered at the 2019 San Francisco International Film Festival in April, 2019 and has been screened at several film festivals around The United States.
The Great American Lie made its Southern California premiere at the Paley Center in Los Angeles in May, 2019.
HOST A SCREENING AT YOUR SCHOOL
Screen our new film “The Great American Lie” to students learning about the systemic causes of inequality in The United States.
As an educational institution, this license will allow you to screen the film and guide meaningful discussions around how gendered values are affecting economic inequality in the United States and in your community.
WHO IT’S FOR
Any school, including secondary schools, colleges, and universities
WHAT YOU GET
The whole school license includes a DVD of the Feature Film along with a PDF curriculum to use along with the film or in place of the film (embedded video clips referenced in the curriculum). This perpetual license allows for unlimited classroom usage on one school campus and unlimited community screenings (public performances) on the same school campus.
*Virtual screenings available for schools with secure streaming platforms.
WHOLE SCHOOL LICENSE
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- Public performance screening rights to host a screening on campus for your school community
- A region-free DVD of the feature film (total running time = 87 minutes).
- Custom PDF curriculum geared to middle school, high school and university level students
- Staff guidance on best practices, tips for success, and more
Download a curriculum overview for The Great American Lie, included with all educational licenses, here.
More questions? Contact us.
HOST A SCREENING FOR YOUR COMMUNITY (VIRTUALLY)
Interested in bringing our new film “The Great American Lie” to your local community or conference? As a community organization or government agency, you can screen the film and guide meaningful discussions around how our gendered values have affected economic inequality in the United States and in your local community.
WHO IT’S FOR
Nonprofits, government agencies, community organizations, professional associations, and film festivals booking a screening at a local venue.
WHAT YOU GET
The community screening package will help you promote your event, create an engaging conversation following the screening, and facilitate ongoing community engagement.
COMMUNITY SCREENING LICENSE
- One-time screening rights to host a screening in your community
- A DVD rental or access to online streaming
- Community planning and discussion guide
- Film images and logo
- Staff guidance on best practices, tips for success, and more
- Virtual screenings now available!
More questions? Contact us.
#ValueEquality
Our films have always inspired passion, catalyzed communities, and individuals, and meaningfully contributed to an emerging understanding of the impact of limiting gender norms in US culture. Miss Representation and The Mask You Live In have been seen by millions of people and screened in all 50 states in the US and over 80 countries worldwide.
With the release of The Great American Lie, we are launching the #ValueEquality campaign urging audiences to have important conversations about what it means to value equality—by elevating values of care, empathy, and collaboration. We hope you’ll join us and explore what it means to #ValueEquality.