Local Filmmaker Critiques Government's Role in Disasters

New Orleans underwater, in a scene from the film "America Betrayed."

Academy Award Winner Richard Dreyfuss narrates the documentary "America Betrayed," by Laguna Beach filmmaker Leslie Cardé, whose film unearths the truth about

disaster capitalism," where government insiders cash in with emergency no-bid contracts in times of national stress.

Cardé's film screens Oct. 19 as part of the L.A. Femme Film Festival. The four day event will be held at the Fine Arts Theatre in Beverly Hills, at 8556 Wilshire Blvd. and the Wilshire Screening Room at 8670 Wilshire Blvd. The festival highlights emerging artists and their films to a wide audience.

"America Betrayed" is the story of waste, fraud, and abuse at the very highest echelons of the federal government. Through interviews with Pulitzer Prize winning print journalists to Berkeley and Harvard scientists, to U.S. Senators and Congressman, "America Betrayed" takes an in-depth look at how government's dirty little secrets impeded an investigation into 9/11 and nearly ruined

great American city, New Orleans.

" 'America Betrayed' is a film that will be on the minds of all Americans searching for truth and justice from their elected officials," filmmaker Cardé said in a statement. "We are thrilled that a talent the caliber of Richard Dreyfuss would be inspired to participate in such a groundbreaking project."

"One of the most important messages in this piece is the shared villainy, greed and suffering. The bad guys are of both political parties," Dreyfuss said in a statement from the film's publicist.

By bringing to the forefront the inherent problems of government granting itself immunity from post-disaster prosecution, the filmmaker hopes to instigate legitimate commissions to investigate disasters and to prompt a dialogue in Congress regarding fair compensation trusts, so that victims of such disasters as the Oklahoma City bombing, 9/11, and Katrina are all compensated fairly and equally.

"America Betrayed" is set for a national theatrical release later this summer.

Cardé was one of the first anchors at CNBC when it launched back in 1989, produced an investigative documentary on healthcare across the African continent for NBC and is the executive producer and host of a syndicated lifestyle show.