'New York Is The Capital Of Capital': Director Justin Pemberton On 'Capital In The Twenty-First Century' Documentary

(CBS Local)-- Wall Street and New York City are a big part of director Justin Pemberton's new documentary "Capital In The Twenty-First Century"

Based off the New York Times bestseller from author Thomas Piketty, Pemberton's doc premiered at the DOC NYC Film Festival last week.

"I've never seen a film that's charted wealth over the course of time" said Pemberton in an interview with CBS Local's DJ Sixsmith. "It seemed like an interesting story for me to follow wealth through time and how it impacts our social relationships and our politics. It covers 400 years, which is a lot to cover in 100 minutes and it's not boring."

Pemberton shot a lot of the film in New York and the director says the Big Apple plays an important role in telling the history of wealth.

"Some of the characters who talk in the film live in New York," said Pemberton. "I always visualize New York as the capital of capital. New York is like a film set itself when you are walking through it and showing that film in New York was an extra thrill."

"Capital In The Twenty-First Century" comes out officially in April 2020 and Pemberton hopes viewers learn several things from the documentary.

"I think the biggest issue in America is the way that capital is dominating politics," said Pemberton. "That in many ways is what is corrupting it as a democracy and it's so influential in the way that Washington works. The lobbying thing is such a big problem."