America’s Motel Families: Life on the Edge

The poor bore the brunt of the subprime and credit crisis of 2008.

Then, it was the turn of the middle class. The impoverishment of the American middle class was brutal. In a country which established liberalism as a creed, there was no safety net. This 2012 documentary looks at the victims of this crisis. For those who lost their jobs, the consequences were instantaneous and dramatic. Larry Dodson, 52, used to manage a large customer service department. But two years ago, he lost his job and house. Today, he lives in a motel room with his wife and two children and scrapes by on $820 dollars a month, welcoming tourists to Disney World. After he has paid the motel fees, he’s left with just $70 for food and other necessities.

Terry used to be a sales manager and enjoyed a good life until he was made redundant. He ended up roaming from motel to motel in his car and eventually was judged ’economically incapable’ of raising his six children. The three eldest were placed in foster care. There are currently 1,800 children growing up in the motels around Disney World. They move from school to school as their parents are forced to find cheaper accommodation.

We spent six months following the daily lives of families like these, affected by the crisis. This documentary was produced by Babel Press and directed by Philippe Levassour. It was first released in 2012.