In the vein of Upton Sinclair’s muckraking novel, The Jungle, Emmy award-winning filmmaker Robert Kenner’s Food, Inc. reveals the “mechanized underbelly” of our nation’s profit-driven food industry. To counter stomach-churning statistics and images, the film suggests the potential for a healthier America with commentary from “forward-thinking social entrepreneurs,” like Gary Hirshberg, founder of Stonyfield Farm in Londonderry, NH.
“The irony is that the average consumer does not feel very powerful. They think that they are the recipients of whatever [the] industry has put there for them to consume,” said Hirshberg. “Trust me, it’s the exact opposite. Those businesses spend billions of dollars to tally our votes. When we run an item past the supermarket scanner, we’re voting.”
The local flavor was not only captured on film, but also stirred by the documentary. According to Film New Hampshire, panel discussions with food chain founders, government officials, and farmers were scheduled after screenings of Food, Inc. at Concord, NH’s Red River Theatres. Clearly, the film is giving audiences something to chew on.
Food, Inc. debuted at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2008, but its limited release began in the United States this past June. Visit Play Dates for a schedule of premiere screenings at select theatres near you; the film will achieve wider release this fall.
Play the Food, Inc. trailer below to whet–or perhaps spoil–your appetite.
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