On this episode of The Sounds of Film, director Justin Schein joins host Tom Needham to discuss his powerful new documentary, DEATH & TAXES: My Father, Our Family and the Cost of the American Dream. The feature-length film, co-directed by Schein and Robert Edwards, will open in U.S. theaters on July 18 at New York’s IFC Center, presented by 8 Above.

With deeply personal roots, the film explores the impact of inherited wealth on democracy, inequality, and the very concept of the American Dream. At the heart of the story is the complex relationship between Schein and his father, Harvey Schein—a Depression-era Brooklyn native who rose to prominence as the head of Sony’s American operations but spent his later years consumed with shielding his fortune from estate taxes.

Filmed across two decades, DEATH & TAXES offers an intimate portrait of a family grappling with legacy, privilege, and moral responsibility. Through a rich tapestry of home videos and candid interviews, Schein examines not only his father’s personal crusade against the estate tax, but also the broader systemic implications of inherited wealth in America. The film, which premiered at DOC NYC in 2024, raises urgent questions about fairness in a system that too often favors the few at the expense of the many, revealing how policies surrounding taxation and inheritance reinforce racial and economic disparities.

Justin Schein is no stranger to telling complex, human-centered stories. With a filmmaking career spanning more than 25 years, he has brought audiences critically acclaimed works like No Impact Man (Sundance, 2009) and Left on Purpose (DOC NYC Audience Award winner, 2016). As a sought-after cinematographer, he has worked on more than 60 films, capturing footage everywhere from the White House to post-9/11 Ground Zero. His recent work as Director of Photography on Netflix’s Crip Camp—produced by Higher Ground, the Obamas’ production company—earned an Oscar nomination and won the Audience Award at Sundance. In DEATH & TAXES, Schein brings his deep documentary experience home, literally, to unpack how personal legacy and national policy intersect.

For more information about the SOUNDS OF FILM with Tom Needham, visit soundsoffilm.com