The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales with Abigail Disney

In this feature-length, personal essay documentary, The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales, filmmaker and philanthropist Abigail Disney grapples with America’s profound inequality crisis. The story begins in 2018, after Abigail encounters workers at the company that bears her name struggling to put food on the table. Could she, a descendent, with no role in the multinational conglomerate, use her famous last name to help pressure Disney and other American corporations to treat low-wage workers more humanely? Believing her conservative grandfather, Roy Disney, (Walt’s brother and company co-founder) would never have tolerated employee hunger at “The Happiest Place On Earth”, Abigail re-examines the story of modern American capitalism from the middle of the last century, when wealth was shared more equitably, to today, when CEO’s earn upwards of 800 times more than their average employees. What happened? What Abigail learns - about racism, corporate power and the American Dream, is eye-opening, unexpected, and inspiring in that it begins to imagine a path to a fairer future for everyone.

Filmed over a two year period, The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales expertly weaves together Abigail’s family story and the stories of Disneyland workers with commentary from historians, authors, and academics. The film artfully employs archive, animation, and never-before seen Disney family movies. From the boardroom to the union hall, the film will no doubt jump start urgently needed conversations, about how to make American capitalism work for everyone. As Abigail concludes, it won’t be easy, “but with imagination and courage it can be changed.”

Speaker Bio:

Abigail E. Disney is an award-winning filmmaker, writer, philanthropist, and activist. Her films include The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales, the Emmy Award-winning The Armor of Light—both co-directed with Kathleen Hughes—and Pray the Devil Back to Hell. As a philanthropist and activist, she has championed peacebuilding, gender justice, and systemic cultural change. She is Chair and Co-Founder of Level Forward, an ecosystem of storytellers, entrepreneurs, and social change-makers dedicated to balancing artistic vision, social impact, and stakeholder return. She also founded Peace is Loud, a non-profit that uses storytelling to advance social movements, and the Daphne Foundation, which supports organizations working for a more equitable, fair, and peaceful New York City. She is currently working on a book about wealth, power, and privilege.

5.00 PM – 6.30 PM: Screening in the Keynes Lecture Theatre
6.30 - 7 PM: Q&A with Director and Producer, Abigail Disney

Please note that there will be photography at this event.

Please also note that this event will take place in a college space during the exam quiet period. We kindly ask that you are mindful of students preparing for their exams and keep noise to a minimum when arriving, departing, and moving around the venue.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher King's College Cambridge