Robert Bates, is a film writer/director from Portland, OR. He emailed me about a month ago, looking for foodie friends to help him get the word out about his new documentary called Ingredients, that tells the story of the local food movement in America.
Robert is going to be screening this movie in Kansas City on Sunday, September 20, 2009 at 1:30 pm at the Glenwoods Arts Theater on Metcalf, as part of the Kansas International Film Festival. Tickets to see "Ingredients" are $6.50 a piece and can be purchased online from the Glenwood Arts Theater HERE.
After speaking with Robert by phone, I had no reservations about him or his movie, he is the real deal. In fact, I even invited him to my Test Kitchen event on Saturday called "Down on the Farm" with Chef David Crum, and he accepted. He was nice enough to send me a rough cut to review, and the movie is really, really good. This falls right into the likes of Food Inc., only friendlier, with more heart and soul in it.
I will also say this . . .the images in this film are stunningly beautiful. If you love food, like I love food, you will be blown away by the cinematography in this movie.
The movie takes you from understanding why farming is a dying art in America, to how important it is to know the people that grow your food and to support them on their journey, so they in turn can support your quest for eating the freshest and best foods in season. A quote from the movie: "You can pay your Doctor, or pay your farmer."
From the farm . . . to the Farmer's Market, to the restaurant Chef, to Alice Waters, to the schools and finally to the table, Ingredients is not just a gloom and doom documentary about how poisoned our food supply has become, instead it focuses more on the positive and upbeat angle of how we can help make it different and better going forward. It's about being educated on the choices we have when buying our food.
The film focuses on how farmers are just now realizing that there is a growing demand for meats and vegetables that have been grown or raised to have the most flavor. We will support them, and they will, in turn, support us. It's about treating everything you raise or grow with care and a reverence for the fact that it will be used to feed human beings.
One farmer in the movie says: "As farmers, we forgot we were growing food, we thought we were growing commodities for sale."
If you already are on the "eat local" bandwagon, and are a part of a CSA or shop your local farmer's market each week or even buy local products found in our grocery stores when they are available, then I stand up and throw my hat in the air Mary Tyler Moore style in celebration of your effort.
Now, how about your friends, do they know the importance of eating local? Your family? Your co-workers?
My point is this, this movie may seem like old news to those of us who have already seen the light and drank the kool-aid, but there are many other people that you know and I know, that don't know. It doesn't make them bad, it's just something they aren't aware of . . .just like we, at some point were not aware of the importance of eating local.
So, go see this movie on Sunday, and take a friend with you. Practice what you preach, share something of your self with another . . .and be the ball . . .I mean, be the change you want to see in this world.
I hear the Portland screening was standing room only - good job!
Posted by: Terri Z | September 29, 2009 at 09:01 AM