TDCI’s Securities Division Brings Award-Winning Financial Documentary to Austin Peay State University

Risky World of Social Media and Financial Influencers Exposed in Film

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance’s Securities Division is partnering with Optimist, the award-winning LA-based studio behind documentaries featured on Netflix, HBO, and PBS, along with FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority) to bring This Is Not Financial Advice to Austin Peay State University’s (APSU) campus in Clarksville on Tuesday, December 1.

Winner of the Anthem Award for Education & Awareness, the film dives into the rise of financial influencers, the culture of “FOMO” (Fear Of Missing Out), and the emotional forces that shape investing decisions. This screening is designed to spark real-world conversations about personal finance, the line between investing and gambling, and the importance of financial wellness in today’s economy.

Partnering with Govs Fund, the student-managed investment fund at APSU, the screening starts at 3 p.m. and will be held in the Kimbrough Building, Room 119. TDCI's Securities Division and FINRA will present a virtual Q&A panel with the filmmakers immediately following the screening. In September, TDCI’s Securities Division partnered with Tennessee Technological University to hold a screening of the film.

“I am so pleased to have another opportunity to partner with a university in our great state because this film highlights the forces shaping today’s rapidly evolving investment environment and why it’s more important than ever for investors to ground their decisions in solid education,” said Securities Division Director of Investor Education Rachel Carden. “The documentary invites viewers to really slow down and reflect on the broader implications these trends have on the future of investing.”

This Is Not Financial Advice world-premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and has since appeared at several prestigious film festivals around the country.

Bringing a film with this level of national acclaim to Tennessee offers local audiences a chance to engage in conversations shaping the broader financial culture. This perspective is especially valuable for young Tennesseans who are navigating an increasingly complex and digital financial landscape – one that is currently experiencing a rise in “gambling culture,” whether it’s cryptocurrency, sports betting, or online prediction markets.

“Govs Fund is proud to co-host this event on campus for students to engage with the complex realities of investing today,” said Carter Black, president of the Govs Fund. “We’re excited to help bring this event to students and give them a chance to see investing from a different perspective, ask questions, and have meaningful conversations about the decisions that shape our financial futures.”

TDCI's Securities Division’s partnership with APSU and FINRA reflects a shared commitment to helping Tennesseans build financial resilience in an increasingly digital marketplace. As more individuals turn to social media for financial information, events like this screening create space for meaningful dialogue about how to separate credible guidance from fast-moving trends.

“As financial information becomes more accessible—and more overwhelming—our responsibility is to help Tennesseans navigate it with clarity and confidence,” said TDCI Assistant Commissioner for Securities Elizabeth Bowling. “By supporting events like this screening, we’re strengthening our commitment to investor protection and encouraging Tennesseans to rely on sound education, not digital noise, when making financial choices.”

For more information and to view a trailer of the film, visit tinfafilm.com.

###

About the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance

Protecting Tennesseans, empowering professionals. Our divisions include the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Insurance, Securities, Regulatory Boards, the Tennessee Law Enforcement Training Academy, the Tennessee Emergency Communications Board, and TennCare Oversight. For more information, visit tn.gov/commerce.

About APSU

Austin Peay State University (APSU), located in Clarksville, Tennessee, is a leading institution of higher education in the Southeast. The university offers over 50 graduate and 125 undergraduate degree paths, including the country’s first registered apprenticeship for teaching, a fast-growing Master of Business Administration (MBA) program, and the state’s only accredited Doctor of Psychology (PsyD) in counseling psychology program.

Named after Clarksville native and former Tennessee Gov. Austin Peay, the university’s Clarksville campus spans 195 acres downtown and is home to the state-of-the-art Health Professions Building. APSU also operates a campus at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and is Tennessee’s leading higher education provider for military-affiliated students, who represent approximately 32% of the student body. For more information, visit www.apsu.edu.

About FINRA

FINRA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to investor protection and market integrity. FINRA regulates one critical part of the securities industry—member brokerage firms doing business in the U.S. FINRA, overseen by the SEC, writes rules, examines for and enforces compliance with FINRA rules and federal securities laws, registers broker-dealer personnel and offers them education and training, and informs the investing public. In addition, FINRA provides surveillance and other regulatory services for equities and options markets, as well as trade reporting and other industry utilities. FINRA also administers a dispute resolution forum for investors and brokerage firms and their registered employees. For more information, visit finra.org.

About Optimist

Optimist is an Emmy-winning production studio using film to change minds, lives, and policies. From This Is Not Financial Advice to Living on One Dollar, Salam Neighbor, The Undocumented Lawyer, and Champions of the Golden Valley, our documentaries have premiered on Netflix, HBO, Amazon, PBS, National Geographic, and The Atlantic, reaching millions of viewers worldwide. Paired with education and impact campaigns in partnership with vetted nonprofits, our films have helped raise more than $100 million for causes spanning refugees, poverty, immigration, food access, financial literacy, and justice reform.