Cleveland Versus Wall Street

Cleveland Versus Wall Street examines a legal battle initiated in January 2008, when lawyer Josh Cohen and his team sued 21 banks on behalf of the city of Cleveland. The lawsuit held these financial institutions responsible for a surge of home foreclosures that devastated the local community. While the banks used various tactics to prevent the case from reaching a courtroom, the film reconstructs the trial. It features real testimonies and facts, with the actual judge, lawyers, witnesses, and jurors appearing as themselves to explain the subprime mortgage system and its impact on the global economy.

Directed and written by Jean-Stéphane Bron, this 2010 production was the first of three films he directed, followed by The Paris Opera in 2017 and Construction Site in 2026. This French and Swiss co-production stars Barbara Anderson, Keith Taylor, Michael Osinski, Tony Brancatelli, Frederick Kushen, and Kurtis Kushen, all playing themselves. The film has received generally positive feedback from viewers, holding a rating of 6.9/10 on IMDb based on 236 votes and a 7.4/10 on TMDB from 12 votes.