FOOD FIGHT is a new documentary that takes a look at how American agricultural policy and food culture developed in the 20th century, and how the California food movement rebelled against big agribusiness to launch the local organic food movement. It features Alice Waters (Chez Panisse), Wolfgang Puck, Michael Pollan and other big names involved with food.
As part of the AFI Film Festival, FOOD FIGHT is premiering at the Mann Chinese 6 on Hollywood Blvd. at 3:15 pm on Saturday, November 8 (that’s this coming weekend). The screening is FREE and open to the public.
Did you catch that last part? You can see this movie for free, all you gotta do is just show up!
Here is a short synopsis of the film:
When we walk into a supermarket, we assume that we have the widest possible choice of healthy foods. But in fact, over the course of the 20th century, our food system was co-opted by corporate forces whose interests do not lie in providing the public with fresh, healthy, sustainably-produced food.
Fortunately for America, an alternative emerged from the counter-culture of California in the late 1960s and early 1970s, where a group of political anti-corporate protesters–led by Alice Waters of Chez Panisse–voiced their dissent by creating a food chain outside of the conventional system. The unintended result was the birth of a vital local-sustainable-organic food movement which has brought back taste and variety to our tables. FOOD FIGHT is a fascinating look at how American agricultural policy and food culture developed in the 20th century, and how the California food movement has created a counter-revolution against big agribusiness.
I have not yet seen the film and am planning to catch the free screening on Saturday if I can make it. I’m very interested to see if any of the various aspects of animal rights and welfare are addressed in this movie, if at all. While I am interested in and grateful for a lot of the work that these people have done in the name of advancing clean, organic and healthy food, I am often disappointed by the fact that these movements often ignore the core issues regarding the animals that are at the center of it all. I do not subscribe to the idea of “happy meat & dairy” (raising animals “humanely” only to slaughter them for food) and I truly believe that if people want to have clean and healthful food, the best way to do so would be to redefine the concept of food to one that does not include animals. I do not believe in killing them with kindness, I believe in not killing them at all. That said, I’m looking forward to seeing what this film has to say about all of these issues and more.
Wanna see it too? All you gotta do is show up this Saturday at Mann Chinese 6.
For more information about the film, visit the website at: www.foodfightthedoc.com
If you are not in Los Angeles or cannot attend the screening, you can join the Facebook group to get updates of future screenings: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=40070554427
Dear Food Eater,
Thanks for the nice mention about our screening on Saturday. I don’t want you to be disappointed but we do not deal with animal confinement (or any specifically vegan) issues in the film. There is another film coming out soon that will, but our film is about the culinary movement called “California Cuisine” and how that has spread from Berkeley (Chez Panisse) to LA (Michael’s Restaurant and Spago) and then across the country. Along the way, a vital small farm infrastucture has been resurrected (slowly) through the establishment of Farmer’s Markets across the country. The movement is now called local, seasonal, sustainable, and organic.
If you like good food and great ingredients, and you like food politics, then you will enjoy the film.
Thanks, Chris Taylor
Director FOOD FIGHT
Chris Taylor: Thanks for stopping by! I’m looking forward to checking out “Food Fight” because indeed I am very interested in food politics. My disappointment wouldn’t be directed towards you, you’re just the guy documenting this stuff (I do not advocate shooting the messenger)! My disappointment is with these movements in general that embrace all these great things about food and aim towards purity and wholesomeness, while at the same time ignoring or sidelining these really serious and pertinent issues, e.g, the Slow Food movement and the whole concept of happy meat. It’s an oxymoron that ultimately just takes credibility away from what these people hope to achieve.
Either way, your film sounds like it will be very interesting and right up my alley so I’m excited to check it out. Congratulations!
FoodEater, you should have been at the 1st Downtown Film Festival/Sustainable LA. Following the screening of “South Central Farms: Oasis in a Concrete Desert” there was a panel discussion, “Buy Local, Eat Slow: A New Way of Thinking about Food.” Amongst the panelists was Lisa Lucas-Vice President, Los Angeles chapter, Slow Food Nation.
Lisa talked on and on about “free range” chickens and urging the audience to seek those types for consumption. She listed her reasons for advocating “free range” chickens and then said she wasn’t very concerned with the “zen” of the chicken so much. The zen of the chicken?!
Slow Food LA is the biggest crock of bull. They say they don’t want to be viewed as elitist but every word out them says otherwise. Ultimately meat is murder whether it is “free range” or not. I vote everyday by growing my own food and supporting local farmers.
Power to the peasful and maybe I’ll see you there!
Adriana
Adriana: Yes, I agree with you on the Slow Food movement. While many of the basic theories I wholeheartedly support, such as eating locally grown foods, their disregard for the animals is pretty sad and makes the whole thing seem to me disingenuous and suspect.