# Life and Debt

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{{short description|2001 film by Stephanie Black}}
{{more citations needed|description|date=May 2010}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2026}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox film
| name = Life and Debt
| image = LifeAndDebt.jpg
| caption =
| director = [Stephanie Black](/source/Stephanie_Black)
| producer = Stephanie Black
| writer = [Jamaica Kincaid](/source/Jamaica_Kincaid)
| narrator = Belinda Becker
| starring =
| music =
| cinematography = Kyle Kibbe <br />Richard Lannaman <br />[Alex Nepomniaschy](/source/Alex_Nepomniaschy) <br />[Malik Hassan Sayeed](/source/Malik_Hassan_Sayeed)
| editing = John Mullen 
| distributor = {{Plainlist|
* [New Yorker Films](/source/New_Yorker_Films) 
** ([USA](/source/United_States))
* [Axiom Films](/source/Axiom_Films) 
** (UK and Ireland)
}}
| released = {{Film date|2001|04|22}}
| runtime = 86 minutes
| country = United States
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}

'''''Life and Debt''''' is a 2001 [American](/source/United_States) [documentary film](/source/documentary_film) directed by [Stephanie Black](/source/Stephanie_Black). It examines the economic and social situation in [Jamaica](/source/Jamaica) after [globalization](/source/globalization), and specifically how the [International Monetary Fund](/source/International_Monetary_Fund) and the [World Bank](/source/World_Bank)'s [structural adjustment](/source/structural_adjustment) policies have impacted the island.

==Synopsis==
''Life and Debt'' is a 2001 United States documentary film directed by [Stephanie Black](/source/Stephanie_Black) about the economic and social situation in [Jamaica](/source/Jamaica) after [globalization](/source/globalization), specifically the impact of [International Monetary Fund](/source/International_Monetary_Fund) (IMF) and the [World Bank](/source/World_Bank)'s policies. It starts with the essay "[A Small Place](/source/A_Small_Place)" by [Jamaica Kincaid](/source/Jamaica_Kincaid).
The IMF loans were conditional on structural adjustment policies, which required Jamaica to enact major economic reforms, including trade liberalization, privatization, and deregulation. Reforms were not successful and left Jamaica with $4.6 billion in debt.

The film features a number of interviews with former Jamaican Prime Minister [Michael Manley](/source/Michael_Manley), in which he critiques the system of International Financial Institution loans. He is particularly critical of required structural adjustments as an attack on the sovereignty of many former colonial nations and suggests the system is akin to [imperialism](/source/imperialism) or [neocolonialism](/source/neocolonialism). He also criticizes the [Jamaican Free Zones](/source/Jamaican_Free_Zones) as [U.S](/source/United_States).-subsidized [sweatshop](/source/sweatshop)s. The film itself interviews several of the free zone workers.

==Cast==
*  Belinda Becker as the Narrator
*  [Michael Manley](/source/Michael_Manley)
* [Buju Banton](/source/Buju_Banton)
*  [Stanley Fischer](/source/Stanley_Fischer)
*  [Yami Bolo](/source/Yami_Bolo)
* [Jerry Rawlings](/source/Jerry_Rawlings)
*  Michael Witter
*  David Coore
*  [Jean-Bertrand Aristide](/source/Jean-Bertrand_Aristide)
*  [Bill Clinton](/source/Bill_Clinton) (archive footage)
*  [Horst Kὅhler](/source/Horst_K%C3%B6hler) (archive footage)

== Soundtrack ==
{{Track listing
| headline        = ''Life and Debt'' (2001) by Stephanie Black
| extra_column    =
| total_length    =
| all_writing     =
| all_lyrics      =
| all_music       =
| title1          = G-7
| note1           = Performed by [Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers](/source/Ziggy_Marley_and_the_Melody_Makers)
| writer1         = [David Marley](/source/David_Marley)
| length1         =
| title2          = One Love
| note2           = 
| writer2         = Bob Marley
| length2         =
| title3          = Work
| note3            =
| writer3         = [Bob Marley](/source/Bob_Marley)
| length3         =
| title4          = Three Little Birds
| note4           = 
| writer4         = [Bob Marley](/source/Bob_Marley)
| length4         =
| title5          = One Love ( The Wailers Original Version)
| note5           = 
| writer5         = [Bob Marley](/source/Bob_Marley)
| length5         =
| title6          = One Love Remix
| note6           = Remix by [Bill Laswell](/source/Bill_Laswell)
| writer6         = [Bob Marley](/source/Bob_Marley)
| length6         =
| title7          = No Woman, No Cry
| note7           = Performed by [Dean Fraser](/source/Dean_Fraser)
| writer7         = [Vincent Ford](/source/Vincent_Ford) [Bob Marley](/source/Bob_Marley)
| length7         =
| title8          = Circumstances 
| note8           = 
| writer8         = [Buju Banton](/source/Buju_Banton)
| length8         =
| title9          = Destiny
| note9           = 
| writer9         = [Buju Banton](/source/Buju_Banton)
| length9         =
| title10         = Zimbabwe
| note10          = Performed by Dean Frasier
| writer10        = [Bob Marley](/source/Bob_Marley)
| length10        =
| title11         = Fortunes of Love
| note11          =
| writer11        = Suzanne Couch & Brian Jobson
| length11        =
| title12         = Chantilly Lace
| note12          =
| writer12        = [J.P. Richardson](/source/J.P._Richardson)
| length12        =
| title13         = Filthy
| note13          =
| writer13        = H. Browne
| length13        =
| title14         =  Give Them A Ride ( Morgan Heritage Remix)
| note14          = Performed by Sizzla
| writer14        = Miguel Collins Bobby Dixon Clement Dodd
| length14        =
| title15         = Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)
| note15          = [Harry Belafonte](/source/Harry_Belafonte)
| writer15        = Irving Burgie William Attawy
| length15        =
| title16         = Life and Debt
| note16          = Performed by [Mutabaruka](/source/Mutabaruka)
| writer16        =[Allan Hope](/source/Mutabaruka)
| length16        =
| title17         = Island in the Sun
| note17          =
| writer17        = [Irving Burgie](/source/Irving_Burgie) & [Harry Belafonte](/source/Harry_Belafonte)
| length17        =
| title18         = Be Still Babylon
| note18          =
| writer18        = Rolando E. McLean
| length18        =
| title19         = Fools Die
| note19          =
| writer19        = [Peter Tosh](/source/Peter_Tosh)
| length19        =
| title20         = Raid the Barn
| note20          = Performed by Anthony B.
| writer20        = [Richard Bell](/source/Richard_Bell_(record_producer))
}}

==Awards==
* 2004 Festival International du Film Insulaire, Ole de Groix, Special Jury Prize
* 2004 Paris Human Rights Film Festival, Special Jury Prize.
* Cineambiente Int. Environmental Film Fest. 2002 Teen Jury Best Film of Festival, Turin, Italy
* One World 2002-Prague Human Rights Film Festival-Audience Award Best Film of the Festival
* [One World Media Awards-](/source/One_World_Media_Awards)Finalist, International Premier Award, England
* Best Documentary at the Jamerican Film Festival
* Critics Jury Award, Honorable Mention “Best Film of the Festival” Independent Feature Project/West Los Angeles Film Festival

==Reception==

[Roger Ebert](/source/Roger_Ebert), a film critic for the ''[Chicago Sun-Times](/source/Chicago_Sun-Times)'', gave the movie a three out of four-star rating and described it as "a harsh indictment, but persuasive".<ref>{{cite web |date= |last1= Ebert |first1= Roger |author-link1= Roger Ebert |title= Life And Debt movie review & film summary (2001) |url= https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/life-and-debt-2001 |website= [Chicago Sun Times](/source/Chicago_Sun_Times) }}</ref>

On [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes) the film has an approval rating of 90% based on reviews from 42 critics.<ref>{{cite web |title= Life And Debt (2001) |url= https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/life_and_debt/ |website= [Rotten Tomatoes](/source/Rotten_Tomatoes) }}</ref>

On June 15, 2001, [Stephen Holden](/source/Stephen_Holden) of ''[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)'',<ref>{{cite web |title=New York Times |website=[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/06/15/movies/film-review-one-love-one-heart-or-a-sweatshop-economy.html}}</ref> wrote a review titled "ILM REVIEW; One Love, One Heart, Or a Sweatshop Economy?", in which he describes the film as a powerful documentary. He says that "The movie offers the clearest analysis of globalization and its negative effects that I've ever seen on a movie or television screen".

On February 26, 2003, Jamie Russell from the [BBC](/source/BBC) gave it a four out of five-star rating and described the movie as brilliant. She explains that Stephanie Black's hits toward the tourism industry and lack of options to change the situation leaves audiences with nothing more than simply being angry about everything.<ref>{{cite web |date= February 26, 2003 |author1= Jamie Russell |title=BBC - Films - review - Life + Debt |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2003/02/21/life_and_debt_2003_review.shtml |website=BBC }}</ref>

On March 25, 2003, Andrew Pulver of ''[The Guardian](/source/The_Guardian)'' gave it four out of five stars. He stressed the importance of the movie and explained that anyone with any interest in globalization should watch it. He describes it as "a detailed, poignant examination of Jamaica's parlous economic plight".<ref>{{cite web |date= 28 February 2003 |last1= Pulver |first1= Andrew |title= Life and Debt |url= https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2003/feb/28/artsfeatures.documentary |website= The Guardian }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==

* {{official website|http://www.lifeanddebt.org/}}
* {{IMDb title|0284262}}
* [Life and Debt on Google Video](/source/google%3ALife_and_Debt%26emb%3D0%26um%3D1%26ie%3DUTF-8%26tbo%3Du%26tbm%3Dvid%26source%3Dog%26sa%3DN%26hl%3Den%26tab%3Dwv)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110606154507/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/ff20050713a5.html 'Documentarian shoots from the hip inside Jamaica's debtor's prison' - interview with the director, Stephanie Black, on Japan Times Online]

Category:2001 films
Category:2001 documentary films
Category:American documentary films
Category:Works about debt
Category:Films based on non-fiction books
Category:International Monetary Fund
Category:World Bank
Category:Economy of Jamaica
Category:Films shot in Jamaica
Category:Films set in Jamaica
Category:Documentary films about globalization
Category:Films about privatization
Category:Works about the World Bank
Category:Works about the International Monetary Fund
Category:2001 English-language films
Category:2001 American films
Category:English-language documentary films

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Life and Debt](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_and_Debt) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_and_Debt?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.