Behind Closed Doors

Behind Closed Doors is a film about corruption in high places and those who enable it.

Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) are people who hold a public function and as a result, present higher risks of being involved in bribery or corruption. Offshore leaks have revealed repeatedly that PEPs use British finance and British offshore jurisdictions to launder their wealth, hide their wealth and re-invest it into the global financial system. London is the place where they buy property, where they take legal action against their critics and where they live when they fall from grace.

But what happens when a developing country fights back and attempts to get Britain to return the money that it claims has been stolen? Watch Behind Closed Doors and find out.

• Produced by Michael Oswald and Murtaza Mehdi

• Directed by Michael Oswald

• Written by Murtaza Mehdi and Michael Oswald

The Man Who Knew Too Much

The Man Who Knew Too Much is a documentary film by Michael Oswald about Colin Wallace, a former Senior Information Officer at the Ministry of Defence, UK. As part of his work Colin Wallace spread fake news, created a witchcraft scare, smeared politicians and attempted to divide and create conflict amongst communities, organisations and individuals. Colin Wallace fell out with sections of the British intelligence community, he was framed for a murder and sentenced to 10 years in prison. 15 years after his conviction the sentence was quashed on appeal after the coroner admitted his report had been influenced by a member of the intelligence community.

The Man Who Knew Too Much is a unique and in-depth look at the smoke and mirrors world of intelligence and psychological warfare through the eyes of a man who stood proudly at the centre of that world.

• Produced, written and directed by Michael Oswald

• Original music by Marc van der Meulen

The Spider's Web: Britain's Second Empire

The Spider’s Web: Britain's Second Empire, is a documentary film that shows how Britain transformed from a colonial power into a global financial power. At the demise of empire, City of London financial interests created a web of offshore secrecy jurisdictions that captured wealth from across the globe and hid it behind obscure financial structures in a web of offshore islands. Today, up to half of global offshore wealth may be hidden in British offshore jurisdictions and Britain and its offshore jurisdictions are the largest global players in the world of international finance. How did this come about, and what impact does it have on the world today? This is what the Spider's Web sets out to investigate.

With contributions from leading experts, academics, former insiders and campaigners for social justice, the use of stylized b-roll and archive footage, the Spider’s Web reveals how in the world of international finance, corruption and secrecy have prevailed over regulation and transparency, and the UK is right at the heart of this.

• Director, Producer & Writer: Michael Oswald

• Executive Producer: Simeon Roberts

• In Collaboration with: Sean Adam Boucher

• Co-Producer: John Christensen

Website                      Running Time: 79 minutes               Shot on BMPC 4k

Princes of the Yen - Central Banks and the Transformation of the Economy

“Princes of the Yen” reveals how Japanese society was transformed to suit the agenda and desire of powerful interest groups, and how citizens were kept entirely in the dark about this.

Based on a book by Professor Richard Werner, a visiting researcher at the Bank of Japan during the 90s crash, during which the stock market dropped by 80% and house prices by up to 84%. The film uncovers the real cause of this extraordinary period in recent Japanese history.

Making extensive use of archival footage and TV appearances of Richard Werner from the time, the viewer is guided to a new understanding of what makes the world tick. And discovers that what happened in Japan almost 25 years ago is again repeating itself in Europe. To understand how, why and by whom, watch this film.

Princes of the Yen: Central Banks and the Transformation of the Economy.

"Because only power that is hidden, is power that endures."

• Director, Producer & Writer: Michael Oswald 

• Narrator: Andrew Piper 

• Associate Producer: Mike Howarth

  Website   Year of release: 2014  Filmed on Canon 550D & 5D MkIII

97% Owned - Where Does Money Come From?

“97% owned” presents serious research and verifiable evidence on the true nature of our economic and financial system. It uncovers and explains little known aspects of the inner workings of the western monetary system and its social implications on both a local and global level.

Few people can accurately answer the questions of where money comes from, who creates it and what implications it’s creation has. The debate around the creation of money remains highly charged, inaccurate and biased. Yet when money drives almost all activity on the planet, it is essential that we have accurate answers to these questions. Produced by Queuepolitely and featuring Ben Dyson of Positive Money, Josh Ryan-Collins of The New Economics Foundation, Ann Pettifor, the "HBOS Whistleblower" Paul Moore, Simon Dixon of Bank to the Future and Nick Dearden from the Jubliee Debt Campaign, “97% Owned” explains why things are as they are, and could things be different?

The documentary investigates alternative currencies, peer to peer financial processes and small scale banking as ways to bypass the monopolistic grip of the established banking sector. It attempts to stimulate debate on who should benefit from the creation of money and for what purposes money should be created.

Website for the film

• Director & Writer: Michael Oswald.

• Producer & Writer: Mike Horwath

Year of Release: 2012

Filmed on Canon 550D with magic lantern firmware hack. Canon 24-105mm & Canon 50mm f 1.4

Generation OS13 - The New Culture of Resistance

We were approached at the end of 2010 just after the student riots, to make a film that expressed the the current mood in the protest movement, to feature artists, musicians and journalists. The film took inspiration from the hacker collective anonymous.

Blurb below:

Generation OS13 is an explosive insight into the attack on civil liberties occurring in western democracies and how artists, musicians, journalists and authors encourage the peoples right to resist Banker occupation.

Examining economic dictatorships, puppet regimes, tax havens, tax dodgers, and the debt based money system the film explains why 'you cannot count on the lawmakers to see shit when it first happens'. For a new era, Generation OS13, the repression will not be tolerated; do 'the government really think they can win that war if the young people are like fuck this, you can’t beat that you, can't beat us, its Impossible' - Saul Williams.

Featuring Painter, poet & song writer Billy Childish, Harry Malt from Bare Bones Magazine, Luke Turner from The Quietus Magazine, journalist Huw Nesbitt, broadcaster Max Kaiser, author Nicholas Shaxson & Artists Anika, Comanechi, Gaggle's & Saul Williams.

• Director: Michael Oswald

• Producer: John-Paul Pryor

• Research: Mike Horwath
  

Year of Release: 2011

Filmed on Canon 7d - Canon 24-105mm f4 IS Lens - Canon 50mm f1.4 Lens

The Potemkin League - The Heist Of Liverpool FC

The Potemkin League documentary explores Liverpool FC's history, delving into the Shankly mythology and socialist militancy of the Liverpool people, who proved to be a divergent force in the face of changing football, politics and international finance. Through football the social-economic and political tendencies of a new generation awakens as US venture capitalists Hicks and Gillett orchestrate a leveraged buyout of Liverpool FC.

The film was released September 2010 to rave reviews:

"Brilliantly made documentary showing what the club and fans have had to go through in the last few years, very informative and shows what the club means to us all. Well done to all involved."

"Excellent stuff that, just finished watching the last one top marks to the queuepolitely and everyone else who helped contribute!"

"5 Stars"

• Director: Michael Oswald

• Producer: Michael Horwath.
  

Year of Release: 2010

Filmed on Sony Pmw-Ex1

Northern Light: Iceland's Creative Revolution

A film produced for DazedDigital about Iceland’s Creative Revolution. Set during the Iceland Airwaves Music Festival and with a backdrop of the recent political and Socio-Economic upheavals.

"Dazed TV present a documentary about how the young generation of a country ravaged by the economic crisis and the threat of corporate takeovers are fighting back." (DazedDigital)

The documentary raises awareness of Icelandic political prisoners, local municipalities complicity in the corporate takeover of Thermal Energy plants by Canadian Conglomerate MAGMA ENERGY (Local municipalities handed their share of Thermal Energy plants over to MAGMA ENERGY for a measly 1.5% interest p.a) etc.

The mood in Iceland is perhaps best expressed by comedian-turned-mayor of Reykjavik, Jon Gnarr. View his party political broadcast here: http://youtu.be/xxBW4mPzv6E?t=3m7s

• Directed and produced by: Michael Oswald and John-Paul Pryor.

Year of Release: 2010

Filmed on Canon 7d - Canon 24-105mm f4 IS Lens - Canon 50mm f1.4 Lens