We caught up with Dan Rather (producer) and Alex Shebanow (director/co-writer/producer) on the red carpet premiere of the documentary film, “Fail State.” The film tackles the subject of for-profit colleges and student loan debt in the United States. Rather and Shebanow talk how they got involved in the project and more!
About “Fail State”
The media and government have ostensibly refrained from a sensible discussion on the student loan debt crisis. Much of the conversation has wrongly centered on keeping interest rates low in order to keep college affordable and accessible. However, this situation is much larger than just interest rates. Rates are nearly irrelevant when compared to the total student loan debt in this country and the effects it will have on our country and economy. The documentary is an elucidation of the issue and an exploration of the three key players involved: the students, government, and the universities. The goal is to refocus the debate on solutions that can fix this crisis.
You can read our review of “Fail State” here. To learn more about the documentary and where to see it next you can visit their website here.
Stay tuned for more exclusive interviews and reviews from the 2017 Austin Film Festival!
Featured photo credit: Austin Film Festival | Jack Plunkett
Originally hailing from Pennsylvania, Jackie has called Austin home since choosing to attend the University of Texas, where she graduated with a degree in multimedia journalism. She loves spending time with her dogs, writing about pop culture in all its forms and spending time with friends – eating, drinking and doing trivia.