Café Économique: ‘Freightened: The real price of shipping’- a documentary that investigates the mechanics and perils of cargo shipping.

About the Film

90% of the goods we consume in the West are manufactured in far-off lands and brought to us by ship. The cargo shipping industry is a key player in world economy and forms the basis of our very model of modern civilisation; without it, it would be impossible to fulfil the ever-increasing demands of our societies. Yet the functioning and regulations of this business remain largely obscure to many, and its hidden costs affect us all. Due to their size, freight ships no longer fit in traditional city harbours; they have moved out of the public’s eye, behind barriers and check points. FREIGHTENED – The Real Price of Shipping answers questions such as: Who pulls the strings in this multi-billion dollar business? To what extent does the industry control our policy makers? How does it affect the environment above and below the waterline? And what’s life like for modern seafarers? Taking us on a journey over seas and oceans, the documentary reveals the many faces of world-wide freight shipping and sheds light on the consequences of an all-but-visible industry. Produced by Polestar Films.

The film will be introduced by author, Rose George, whose own investigations into the shipping industry led to her book “Deep Sea and Foreign Going: Inside Shipping, the invisible Industry that brings you 90% of Everything.”

This session is organized by Café Économique, as part of a monthly series of talks and debates on current social, economic and environmental topics.

PLEASE NOTE

This is a zoom session. Anyone wishing to join the session needs to email:  cafeeconomiqueleeds2019@gmail.com.

A zoom link and password will be sent to the email list close to the date of the talk.