Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain

You may have heard the term cryptocurrency by now, but unless you’re a techie, you might be wondering how it works or what it’s even for. You’re not alone. Luckily, Trust Machine: The Story of Blockchain - narrated by award-winning actress Rosario Dawson - serves to sort through the confusion. This well-researched documentary chronicles the incredible rise of Bitcoin, an internet currency based on a concept known as a blockchain. Using cryptography, the information contained in records (a.k.a. “blocks”) is resistant from modification or hacking. Money isn’t the only thing this technology can be used for. The film profiles start-ups that are applying it to social causes, medical records, identification purposes, copyright claims, and even voting. While this all sounds very promising, there are still many skeptics. Some simply find it too complex and/or view it as a sly tool for criminals. Others could be rendered obsolete if blockchains replace existing infrastructure. Is the opposition for self-preservation, or are they right in characterizing cryptocurrency as an overhyped Ponzi scheme? Get the facts and decide for yourself after watching this compelling explanation of a misunderstood modern technology. (Cleveland International Film Festival)