Actress Lucy Liu has boarded the timely documentary Unzipped: An Autopsy of American Inequality as executive producer.
Directed by Colin K. Gray, Unzipped is a searing exposé of the growing affordable housing crisis in America. This eye-opening and heeartbreaking docu focuses on one of the country’s most iconic and increasingly income divided zip codes: Venice CA 90291. Once a mecca for artists, outsiders and a thriving Black community, Venice is now the frontline for America’s heated battles over gentrification, lack of affordable housing, and homelessness.
With moving, personal profiles of several artist families who struggle to remain in their neighborhood, to bitterly contested community fights over a proposed homeless shelter, Unzipped explodes stereotypes and humanizes the lives of people caught in the cross-fire of America’s growing housing divide.
A topical local lens on this alarming humanitarian issue, Unzipped is an urgent call to action for more equitable housing solutions for every community in America and around the globe.
“As a long-time UNICEF ambassador, I’ve seen how housing is one the most important social determinants of health around the globe, for children in particular,” said Liu. “I was moved by the stories in Unzipped and how the film humanizes the lived experiences of several families struggling with America’s own affordable housing crisis. I am hopeful this documentary will help catalyze debate and action on how to better protect the most vulnerable in society.”
Liu is joining an inclusive d filmmaking team that includes hip hop legends, Run The Jewels, who contributed opening and closing tracks to the film. Liu serves as executive producer alongside Theresa Steele Page, Tim Headington, Amaechi Uzoigwe, Lorien Gabel and Elliot Kotek, along with the film’s all-female producing team, Megan Raney Aarons, Jamila C. Fairley and Carol J. Gronner. The film is produced by GRAiNEY PICTURES in association with Ley Line Entertainment, The Nation of Artists and Still Moving Pictures.
“Having Lucy join the team is a true honor,” said Gray. “We wanted to counter the divisive rhetoric around homelessness and affordable housing with personalized profiles of people struggling to survive in one of America’s most iconic zip codes. We hope Unzipped will inspire people to get involved in the movement to enshrine housing as a human right.”
Unzipped made its world premiere at the Newport Beach Film Festival in October where it won the Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature. Following the win, premium non-fiction sales agent Cargo Film & Releasing nabbed global sales rights. Unzipped is now playing the American Black Film Festival.
