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The Dripby Brew Editors6:28 pmApr 17, 20120

Film on financial fraud, featuring Maryland victims, wins award

The human cost of the financial scams that brought the the U.S. economy to its knees is the subject of a documentary – starring Maryland victims – that is receiving a prestigious award on Friday in Washington.

“Stealing Trust,” was a collaboration between the Maryland Consumer Rights Coalition and Baltimore Megaphone Project, a longtime local maker of films for social justice causes.

Banks that refused to offer loan modifications, abusive debt settlement firms and unscrupulous home contractors are the villains in this story and the victims are Maryland families who lost their homes, savings and, in some cases the movie-makers say, ability to trust.

Along with the familiar institutional bad actors in the film, the government comes off badly as well, for its failure to protect people with regulations and enforcement.

Watch Stealing Trust on PBS. See more from MPT Specials.

Earlier this month, the 40-minute film, directed by John Spilane, won the 2012 Community Empowerment Film Award from the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC).

It was screened by Maryland Public Television on April 11.

The award will be presented at 7 p.m. this Friday, April 20, at NCRC’s 2012 national convention at Washington Court Hotel, 525 New Jersey Ave., Washington.

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