Free Money

When universal basic income (UBI) comes to the Kenyan village of Kogutu, lives are forever changed. GiveDirectly, one of the fastest growing nonprofits of the 21st century, is sending free money for twelve years as part of the world's largest UBI experiment. Filmmakers Lauren DeFilippo and Sam Soko juxtapose the story of these young economists, bankrolled by Silicon Valley and convinced that they have found an infallible algorithm to end world poverty, with portraits of local Kenyans whose lives are being dramatically impacted for better and for worse. UBI is at the forefront of political debate like never before, thanks to Andrew Yang's presidential candidacy, covid stimulus packages, and trials underway around the world. This documentary is a fascinating case study of life in a village-turned-petri-dish from the perspective of those living out this revolutionary idea.