Watch Britain's Trillion Pound Paradise: Inside Cayman

Britain's Trillion Pound Paradise: Inside Cayman is a documentary film directed by Jacques Peretti which takes the viewers on a journey into the Cayman Islands, a British overseas territory in the Caribbean. The film examines this picturesque tropical paradise which has become the world's biggest tax haven and a hub for the offshore banking industry.

The film is a gripping exposé of how the Cayman Islands have managed to create an intricate financial system that allows the wealthiest individuals and corporations to evade taxes, and how it operates beyond the reach and regulation of the UK government. The film is divided into different chapters, each exploring different aspects of the island's economy, culture, and governance.

The film starts with a brief history of the Cayman Islands, which was discovered by Spanish sailors in the fifteenth century, and then moves onto the main topic. The first chapter examines how the island's economy has been built on its status as a tax haven, and how it has managed to attract global finance giants such as Goldman Sachs and JP Morgan Chase. The film reveals how the Cayman Islands have become a mecca for the wealthy, with more registered companies than residents, and how the island's financial industry has become an essential cog in the global economic system.

The film then moves on to the subject of regulatory control, or lack of it, in the Cayman Islands. Peretti interviews local officials and investment bankers to learn more about the Caymanian government's willingness to facilitate tax evasion and undermine international regulations. He highlights how the Cayman Islands' legal system and confidentiality laws have been drafted to provide a protective shield for offshore banks and their clients, making it almost impossible for law enforcement agencies to access bank accounts and track down the proceeds of crime.

Another chapter examines the impact of the Cayman Islands' secrecy laws on law-abiding citizens, particularly in the UK, who suffer from a lack of transparency around how their money is invested offshore. The film reveals how British taxpayers unknowingly fund public services for millionaires when their taxes are evaded through offshore accounts. We see how the UK government is unable to influence or regulate the Cayman Islands, leaving the citizens back home at the mercy of the offshore banking industry and its lobbyists.

The film also explores the local culture of the Cayman Islands, which has become a mix of ultra-wealthy expats and local workers employed in low paid and often transient jobs. Peretti interviews local people, including a taxi driver who struggles to afford a home in the island he was born in, as rents and prices are skyrocketing due to offshore wealth. The interviews reflect the growing rift between the rich and poor and the debate around the island's economic model.

Finally, the film concludes with a call for transparency and regulatory change. Peretti urges the UK government to take action and bring the Cayman Islands under greater scrutiny, to ensure that British citizens, and the world at large, are aware of the true cost of offshore finance to society. The film is a timely investigation of how the Cayman Islands and other tax havens continue to operate as a shadowy parallel system to mainstream finance, and is an essential watch for anyone seeking to understand the true workings of the global economy.

Overall, Britain's Trillion Pound Paradise: Inside Cayman serves as a powerful reminder of the need for greater accountability, transparency, and regulation in the global financial system, and the documentary will appeal to anyone interested in the intersection of politics, economics, and society.