Arte France’s ‘Tax Me (If You Can)’ Sells to Multiple Territories: ‘Getting Rich People to Talk About Money Was Tough,’ Says Director (EXCLUSIVE)
Paris-based The Party Film Sales has secured multiple new broadcasters for the French documentary "Tax Me (If You Can)," directed by investigative filmmaker Thomas Lafarge, ahead of its Arte France premiere. The deals, struck with pubcasters including Spain's RTVE, Switzerland's RTS, Slovenia's RTV and Finland's YLE, come as public broadcasters face funding pressures, making the swift uptake a notable sign of demand for the film's subject matter. The documentary explores the growing "tax the rich" movement and examines why some of the world's wealthiest individuals are calling for higher taxes on themselves.
The film, produced by Little Big Story, will launch on Arte's streaming platform arte.tv on 8 September and on the ARTE channel on 14 September, and is being pitched at the Unifrance Rendez-Vous event in Le Havre. It examines the soaring fortunes of the ultra-rich over the past two decades alongside competing economic theories, featuring economist Gabriel Zucman and campaigners such as Abigail Disney. Lafarge said the biggest challenge was persuading wealthy individuals, even those sympathetic to higher taxation, to speak openly about money given the risks of exposure, while producers hope the film will resonate internationally amid debates on wealth inequality in France, the UK, Sweden and the US.
In short
- Arte's tax documentary "Tax Me (If You Can)" sold to Spain, Switzerland, Slovenia, Finland
- Film explores growing "tax the rich" movement among some wealthy individuals
- Director says convincing rich people to discuss money was the hardest part
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of higher taxes on great wealth argue that fortunes have grown sharply while public services and many households face pressure, so asking the wealthiest to contribute more could help fund shared needs and reduce inequality. The film’s interviews with wealthy people who support higher taxes may also strengthen the case that reform can be compatible with enterprise and personal success.
The case against
Those wary of higher taxes on wealth argue that large fortunes often reflect investment and business activity, and that poorly designed taxes could discourage investment, prompt people or assets to move abroad, or prove difficult to administer fairly. They may favour addressing inequality through broader growth and more targeted measures, while questioning whether a documentary centred on the tax-the-rich movement gives enough weight to those practical risks.
Explained simply
The film examines the “tax the rich” movement and why some very wealthy people support paying more tax. It places those views alongside the growth of large fortunes over the past two decades and debates about how wealth is distributed.
Key voices include economist Gabriel Zucman and campaigner Abigail Disney. The film is directed by Thomas Lafarge, who says wealthy people can be reluctant to discuss their finances publicly, even when they favour higher taxes.
The subject connects to wider debates over inequality and how tax systems should work. These questions are discussed in countries including France, the UK, Sweden and the US.
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