In the spirit of investigative exposés like Fast Food Nation and Supersize Me, The Future of Food (official, IMDB) delves into the importance of being informed and aware that the food choices we make today will greatly impact our futures. The documentary presents an extremely detailed case against genetically engineered crops and investigates the disturbing reality that these unlabeled, patented foods have been stocked in local grocery stores since the early 1990s.
Deborah Koons Garcia’s 2005 documentary takes the complex scientific, regulatory, legal, ethical, environmental, and consumer issues revolving around food production and boils them down into easy-to-understand language that everyday consumers can understand. And the boiled-down message isn’t two-sided. Although the documentary’s stance is purposely intended to oppose huge multinational corporations seeking to control the world's food system, requested interviews with corporations like Monsanto (the multinational seed and pesticide giant) were ignored.
While the scientific parts of the film are a bit dry and sometimes hard to follow, the frightening aspect of what is happening to our food — and the farmers we rely on to grow it — is not. Garcia gets the message across through poignant interviews with farmers and agricultural experts who all warn of the controversial and devastating effects genetically engineered crops will have on current and future generations.
Release Date: Sept. 14, 2005
Running Time: 88 mins.
MPAA Rating: Not rated
Directed by: Deborah Koons Garcia
Produced in: United States
Awards: 2005 deadCENTER Film Festival Best Documentary; 2005 Empire Film Festival Best Documentary; Ashland Independent Film Festival Audience Award for Best Documentary; Taos Mountain Film Festival’s Human Rights Award; 2005 Women Film Critics Circle Above and Beyond Award; Ann Arbor Film Festival Honorable Mention
