COLUMBIA, S.C. - Some of the state's biggest philanthropists - Republicans and Democrats - have donated more than $75,000 to produce a short documentary film on school conditions in poor, rural counties.

The producers hope the images of crumbling walls, leaky roofs, faulty fire alarms and unheated classrooms will shock politicians into action.

"When you have children in gloves and jackets in classes where the temperature is 50 degrees, that's not acceptable," said Columbia lawyer John Rainey, the film's initiator.

DVDs and videos of the film, called "Corridor of Shame," will be given within a few weeks to the state's 170 legislators, Gov. Mark Sanford and community leaders across the state.

The annual debate over money for public schools will continue, but in the meantime, someone needs to spend money immediately to do things like fix fire alarms, Rainey said.

"We have a tsunami right now in these counties. We can't give a few million to them? What is wrong?" Rainey said.

No philanthropist gave more than $5,000 to the film, Rainey said.

Contributors included the Nord Family Foundation, the Self Family Foundation, the Sisters of Charity Foundation, the Springs Close Foundation, Gayle Averyt, Kirk Finlay III, Joel Smith, Hayne Hipp, and Charlotte and Alan Kahn.

Many have political connections. Rainey, for example, is a major fund-raiser for Sanford and U.S. Sen. Jim DeMint, both Republicans.

The 58-minute documentary took five months to make. Producers visited six rural counties, shooting 120 hours of tape, most of it interviews with teachers, parents and administrators.

Many of the conditions the film depicts were aired in testimony at a 101-day trial last year. In that case, eight poor, rural school districts sued the state, alleging public education in their districts doesn't meet "minimally adequate" education guaranteed by the state constitution.

Judge Thomas W. Cooper is expected to rule later this year.

The crux of the dispute is that local property taxes are used to pay for public schools and poor, rural counties don't have the tax base to improve schools and attract quality teachers.

"Corridor of Shame" puts a human face on the testimony heard in Cooper's courtroom, said Bud Ferillo, whose Columbia public relations firm produced the film.

"Our film certainly is an advocacy piece," Ferillo said. "But the facts speak for themselves. Conditions in our rural public schools cry out for immediate attention."

One of the film's most powerful moments comes when former state Commerce Secretary Charlie Way, a multimillionaire Charleston developer, tells about his car breaking down near a rural school.

When he went to the school to telephone for help, Way was shocked.

"It was the most deplorable building condition that I have ever seen in my life," he exclaims on camera.

Sanford spokesman Will Folks said the governor's office has requested a copy of the film.

Folks said the governor is committed to improving education by offering parents a tax credit to help pay for their children to change public schools or go to private schools.

"Money is obviously not making it through the bureaucracy to where it is needed," Folks said.