The American reputation

Listening in
Minneapolis-based filmmakers wanted to know what people abroad thought about American and Americans. The result of their inquiries is the documentary "The Listening Project."
Photo courtesy of Rikshaw Films

This campaign season, there is a lot of rhetoric from candidates about how they would increase America's standing in the world. But what exactly is America's reputation abroad?

A team of Minneapolis-based filmmakers went out in search of that answer. They wanted to hear what people in a number of other countries had to say about the reputation of America and Americans. The result is the documentary film "The Listening Project." The film is showing Thursday at the Oak Street Cinema in Minneapolis.

Dominic Howes is one of the directors with Rikshaw Films. Bao Phi, a Minneapolis-based poet and performance artist, was one of the "listeners" the directors commissioned to travel the world to ask questions and listen. Both joined All Things Considered host Tom Crann to discuss making the film.

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