TRUST TRUST ME
Directed by Oscar-nominated Roko Belic, the timely new film Trust Me exposes problems caused by society’s lack of media literacy while offering solutions. Public television stations across the country continue to address how mis- and disinformation are affecting society by scheduling premieres and repeats of Trust Me to reach 84% market coverage in the U.S. this year.
Trust Me explores why we’re attracted to stories about violence, how media outlets capitalize on that, and how we gather and share information in the digital age. It explores confirmation bias and how neurological traits interact with web algorithms to distort how we see the world. It delivers a front row seat to the efforts of individuals, educators, and government regulators to promote journalistic integrity and media literacy around the world
Viewers hear stories from across the U.S. and around the world. Renowned scientists and journalists provide opinions of how media “ill-literacy” has led to these most sensational news stories and how media literacy helps overcome some of today’s critical issues. Oscar-nominated Director, Roko Belic interviewed prominent social scientists, journalists and educators, for example, Steven Pinker, psychologist and author of Enlightenment Now, Matt Ridley, member of the UK House of Lords and author of The Rational Optimist, and Paul Zak, Neuroscience professor at Claremont Graduate University and author of Trust Factor, as well as other leading experts.
Compelling human stories and expert interviews unveil ways audiences can detect manipulation from media sources, how they can identify valid messaging and self-limit their own sharing/reporting of credible facts, leading to a positive influence on the state of mental health. In short, the film informs viewers of ways to properly analyze and qualify the voluminous barrage of information we receive today.
The film brings awareness of the need for media literacy to combat polarization, threats to democracy, medical misinformation, and mental illness. It features compelling stories from around the world where media illiteracy led to crises. One story unveils a behind-the-curtain look at how Russian hackers are creating and feeding dissention in the U.S. Interviews from world-renowned experts explain why humanity is drawn to manipulation from sensational and negative news, and how commercial media often capitalize on our biases. A link to the trailer is here.
