WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue Initiative for Family Firms (PIFF) will host a special screening of the documentary film, “Taking Stock” at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 20 in Krannert Building, Krannert Auditorium (Room 140), 403 W. State St. The film documents one month in the life of a shopkeeper dealing with the trials and tribulations of running a family business.
“Taking Stock” director Ben Stillerman, who will lead a panel discussion immediately following the screening, tells the story of his own family’s business, with his father, Clive Stillerman, as the main subject. On the film’s website, Ben states he made the documentary to understand how the family business influenced his father’s personal life as well as the lives of his father’s employees and family. However, the film goes farther to show the conflict between children not wanting to take over the family business and the real tension “between the values of hard work, the challenges of family, and the particular relationship between a businessman and his community and country.”
Maria Marshall, Purdue Initiative for Family Firms (PIFF) director and professor of agricultural economics, chose this film for the event because “it delves deeper than what you see when you walk into someone’s store front. Family businesses affect everyone, not just those who work in the business. At PIFF, our goal is to educate and prepare family members to make the best choices for their business. The film shows how difficult those choices can be.”
“Taking Stock” was filmed at Benoni Discount Stores in South Africa and was released by Tank Brain Films in 2016. It won the festival prize for best documentary at the 2017 Massachusetts Independent Film Festival.
The showing is free and open to the public. Advance tickets are not required. Please check the Upcoming Events page on the PIFF website for more information.
About the Purdue Initiative for Family Firms
The Purdue Initiative for Family Firms (PIFF) provides multi-generational family businesses with research-based business management resources aimed at improving personal leadership performance and driving operational growth. Their ambition is to prepare family business owners, managers, and stakeholders (including non-owner spouses and future owners) to be effective stewards of their family enterprises.
— Kami Goodwin, Purdue University
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