Festival of Global Health - The Divide

“A fierce, unsettling critique of inequality”

The Guardian

The Divide tells the story of 7 individuals striving for a better life in modern day US and UK - where the top 0.1% owns as much wealth as the bottom 90%. By plotting these tales together, we uncover how every aspect of our lives is controlled by one factor: the size of the gap between rich and poor.

This isn’t based on real life. This is real life. Wall Street psychologist Alden wants to make it to the top 1%; Glaswegian rapper Darren just wants to stay sober; Newcastle carer Rochelle wishes her job wasn't looked down on so much; Jen in Sacramento, California, doesn't even talk to the neighbours in her upscale gated community - they've made it clear to her she isn't "their kind".

It becomes clear that a higher income doesn’t ensure happiness and inequality hurts us all – rich and poor. By weaving these stories with news archive from 1979 to the present day, The Divide creates a lyrical, psychological and tragi-comic picture of how economic division creates social division. The Divide serves as both a call to arms, and a powerful warning.  The Divide was released 10 years ago but remains as relevant today.

“Inequality is a very human problem, that we all need to come together to solve.”

Katherine Round, director of The Divide

Trailer

Michael Marmot’s review of the film The Lancet

Register to attend this event.

Panel Discussion, moderated by Dr Toral Gathani, includes:

• Katherine Round, the film director
• Ann Raymond, The Health Foundation and lead author of “Health Inequalities in 2040”

The Festival of Global Health is led by Toral Gathani, Sarah Lewington, Hannah Calkin and Graham Bagley. Please contact us if you have any questions or comments or complete the online form to be added to the mailing list.