Living on One Dollar
Living on One Dollar
NR | 22 April 2013 (USA)
Living on One Dollar Trailers

How do 1.1 billion people around the world live on less than one dollar a day? Four young friends set out to research and live this reality. Armed with only a video camera and a desire to understand, they spend just 56 dollars each for 56 days in rural Pena Blanca, Guatemala. They battle E.Coli, financial stress, and the realization that there are no easy answers. Yet, the generosity and strength of their neighbors, Rosa, Anthony and Chino gives them resilient hope. They return home transformed and embark on a mission to share their new found understanding with other students, inspiring and challenging their generation to make a difference.

Reviews
arvind-ramaiya

A documentary about living on one dollar but more so about how tough life is in Guatemala. The risk taken to shoot this motion picture, was amazing. To risk your health, to shoot a documentary was outstanding. So too was the heart of the documentary, which is about poverty and financial hardship. I only gave it 9 stars because it could have been 90 minutes long, instead of being just under an hour. Although, Day 56 and a minute a day was also something new and refreshing. Inspirational work guys, well done.

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Catherine Szetela Reyes

Having traveling and worked in Guatemala for the past 5 years, I was amazed at how real and compelling this film was. It's not often that someone can truly capture the heart behind what it's like to live in poverty, but these 4 brave, young men did a fabulous job bringing it to life. Our 4 children were all inspired and went away wanting to do something to help alleviate poverty. They began selling beaded key chains made by the women of Guatemala and in just one week, they collected over $450. They were so excited to go to www.mayanfamilies.org and purchase water filters so kids wouldn't have to drink from the dirty pipe anymore. Great job guys! Thanks for helping us all to see the heart behind the courageous people who live this way everyday.

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aramii

I was impressed that these kids decided to do something that could have been dangerous, as one of them did get sick and needed medicine, and admitted that they were lucky enough to have emergency medicine to take care of it, while most of the people in Pena Blanca would not have had it.I liked that the people in Pena Blanca were open to speaking their own opinions and talked about what life is really like for them. There is a wonderful pride, and joy, in their lives while it is also a real struggle.I think that the negative reviews that this documentary has received are probably from a people that have never even tried to live on one dollar a day, or lived in a foreign culture, and just like to complain about people that do try to make a difference. These kids weren't out to change the world or lecture people on what they should do, they just wanted to show that they cared, their lives are much easier (as they mentioned a few times) and this is how a large amount of people in this world have to survive. I've lived in China, trust me, they are right. If people think these are just rich kids who are taking it easy, go and try it yourself. I have a feeling you'd be calling mommy in a week and crying to come home. I respect these 4 boys for sticking it out and learning how tough it can be to be poor and undernourished.

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George Messier

I really felt this could have been powerful, however I felt this was really just a shallow portrayal by a bunch of kids with little to lose. This really could have been very powerful if they had spent a year, rather than eight weeks. I never felt like they were really doing anything more than a peace corps volunteer might have experienced over a much longer period of time.Frankly it felt like a bunch of rich kids trying to feel better about themselves. If they were really trying to survive they would have taken their radish harvest and seriously tried to sell it to the indigenous culture. Giving it away just proved that in the end they could rely on the bank account set up by their parents. I am not impressed.It just had no impact with me.Sorry

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