Filmmaker Statement

'Zero Sum' is inspired by my experiences as an economics professor. During my time in academia, issues of diversity, equity, and inclusiveness (DEI) became an important, and well-intentioned, fixture of university life. Hiring practices were improved to ensure an even playing field for applicants. Human Resources became more proactive when promotion decisions were contested on the basis of gender or racial discrimination. And campaigns were launched to expose faculty whose research promoted harmful stereotypes. 'Zero Sum' imagines what might happen if these positive developments were exploited by bad actors. In particular, I wanted to raise the following moral question: if someone was wrongly targeted for being sexist or racist, would colleagues publicly speak up in their defense? Or would they be too afraid of connecting themselves with an alleged bigot?