Ethics film series to conclude with ‘Margin Call’

The University of Miami Ethics Program will conclude it seventh annual “Ethics in Film” series with the film “Margin Call,” a thrilling tale of the financial crisis that struck the United States in recent years.

The film series was created by Anita Cava, co-director of the ethics program.  She said she created the film series in an attempt to find a more interesting and appealing alternative to traditional speakers. The movies have become a “labor of love,” she said.

“Today’s audiences are very visually orientated, and I think it’s a great way to have a conversation about difficult issues that we are confronting today,” Cava said.

“Margin Call” is being shown at 6:15 p.m. on March 7 at the Cosford Cinema. It stars Demi Moore and Kevin Spacey, recaps a 36-hour period at a large investment bank during the financial crisis of 2007-2008 on Wall Street. The film deals with the decisions and actions of the employees as they were caught up in the moment of the financial collapse.

Admission is free to the public and includes complimentary popcorn and candy. Following the film, there will be a speaker to facilitate a discussion about the film.

“The Ethics in Film series is one of the few events that brings non-blockbuster films to a wider audience,” said Imri Yekutiel, chair of the University of Miami’s chapter of Amnesty International.

Yekutiel and his organization played a major role in promoting the second film in the series, “Blood Coltan,” which was played of Feb. 28 and deals with environmental waste issues related to the widely unknown mineral coltan. The first film, “Made in India,” was previously shown on Feb. 13 and dealt with the ethical dilemma of American couples outsourcing surrogacy to India.