Media That Matters Review
by Monica Pless
As the BLAST (Building Local Agricultural Systems Today) Program Coordinator, I’m always looking for new films about sustainable food issues. So I was excited to see that The Media that Matters Film Festival just put out “Good Food,” a DVD on food. As a compilation of 12 short films, it examines the many issues facing our food system from a variety of perspectives and via a variety of styles. I watched these films with our Urban Education and Outreach interns at The Food Project, and this is what we thought. You can also check the films out online at: http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/mtm_good_food/. Enjoy!
“The Luckiest Nut in the World” started the DVD off on a high note. A barbershop quartet cartoon musical was the backdrop as peanuts and groundnuts explained the effect of trade policy on the economics of different countries. I loved the throwback style and found the history clear. In a longer version, I would want a bit more about the economics.
“Asparagus: a Stalk-umentary” delved into the impact farming had on one community in Michigan. It was amazing to see the devotion people had to asparagus. The message of the impact of trade and farm policy on the small farmer came across well, and the journalistic style of the films’ introduction to the town left me feeling as if I’d caught a glimpse of a community deeply rooted in farming.
The hip hop music in “Food Justice, a Growing Movement ” put me in the right frame of mind for the film. Interviews with people across West Oakland, from farmers, non-profit workers, youth, and customers gave a broad perspective to define food justice and its effect on community. I felt the power of people’s passion for the subject and was inspired by their visions of urban farms, markets, and the potential of working through corner stores to reach a marginalized population.
One of the highlights of the DVD was “Recycle,” a poetic short in which a homeless man in San Francisco describes the impact gardening has had on his life. The cinematography is stunning - the camera focuses on his hands, shows him in silhouette, but his face is only revealed at the end of the film after he has discovered gardening.
What impressed me most about the “Inch by Inch” film, which highlighted different youth gardening programs in Providence, RI were the well-spoken youth. I was floored by a 5th grader describing how lead is taken up by plants and I was also inspired by the children’s wonder as they described their experiences in the gardens. Teachers explained how they had incorporated gardening into many different parts of the school curriculum, leaving me wanting to find out more.
“Terminator Tomatoes”, a clay-mation short about the impact of genetically modified seeds on a small farmer, health and the environment had a clear and simple message, but was a little too didactic and exaggerated for me. Interns said it was scary, and although it had some information about genetically modified crops at the end, they felt that a newcomer to these issues would have trouble following the rest of the film.
“Young Agrarians” would be my pick for an introductory short. It starts off with inspiring accounts of why people choose to be farmers. Teenagers explain how growing your own food reduces the steps in the food system and builds community. I liked how it highlighted the interdependence of farmers and consumers, and rural and urban communities. Youth felt that many of the speakers were well-spoken, but wanted to see more about food grown in the city.
The cartoon short “Profit Cola” has an old-school TV ad feel. In a sarcastic tone, it describes how companies try to increase profit by selling sodas in schools, and describes the negative health impacts of youth drinking so many soft drinks. Youth found it funny and a little extreme - it got the point across but seemed too overpowering.
“Water Warriors” describes how Highland Park, MI residents dealt with the city turning off their water. It follows community organizers as they form the Highland Park Human Rights Organization, attend meetings and fight for water to be recognized as human right.
In the clever puppet short “Don’t Worry”, investigative reporters tell the story of Sunny Delight in Britain. They explore its marketing launch as a healthy alternative to sodas, interview a non-profit that informs the public that Sunny Delight only contains 5% fruit juice, and shows resulting relaunch of “Sunny D” with 15% of fruit juice. The puppets lent a light-hearted feel to this informative short.
“One More Dead Fish” shows the fight of Nova Scotia fisherman against regulations from the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans to phase out hand line fisherman. They show the collapse of the fishing industry due to the overfishing, brought on by the destructive techniques of industrialized fishing, such as dragging and dumping by catch. The stark footage of an underwater desert brought a sense of urgency and desperation to this film.
“The Meatrix. A classic - what else can I say? This animated parody of the Matrix examines the factory farm meat production, sharing a brief history and identifying some of the key issues such as animal cruelty, antibiotic resistance, pollution and destruction of family farms and communities. The film urges viewers to learn more about their food and to make conscious choices to support family farms. As one Food Project intern declared “That’s why I don’t eat pork”.