A Pizzazz Magazine Exclusive

Publisher Don Lemmon

Deborah Garcia's film is, in a word, terrifying. It's not an explicit horror film per se, but rather a documentary that explores a maniacal beast gone mad. In this case, the beast comes in the form of an agricultural system based on seemingly demonic manipulation of helpless farmers, and equally helpless global consumers, just like you and me.

More specifically, the focal point of the film is Garcia's exposition of agro-economy, a chemical and bio-technologically intensive, large-scale agriculture that‘s protected by multinational big business and the global government officials it supports, and vice versa. The chief culprit, none other than our own Monsanto, just so happened to be a leading campaign contributor to former Attorney General John Ashcroft.

Garcia's documentary unveils a number of crooked, underhanded measures being played out on the global scene. Business is about profit, no surprise here, but does this profit have to come at the cost of human well-being? In this case, yes.

Agro-business is hell bent on securing profit before safety, and genetically modified surplus before survival.As one agro-executive put it, “we intend to sell as much as we can. Safety is the FDA's responsibility.” Nice guy, eh? And these are the sorts of people making decisions with the potential to annihilate life as we know it. And it can happen. Believe me.

The film is terrifying not only because it deals with subject matter so incredibly disturbing as to make you want to give up eating forever, but also because it relies so heavily on discussions of genetics, combined with exposition of patent law. Quite frankly, from a visual perspective, beyond the footage portraying Mexican culture, this piece is doggoned uninspiring.

Not that I question the credibility of the experts from the scientific and political community assembled to expose the madness of genetically modified agro-business. It's just that film is a visual medium, and it always should do more than simply inform the viewer. I would have found the content of this film equally, if not more interesting, had it been broadcast on the radio.

Chiefly problematic is that Garcia spends the vast majority of the film castigating the agro-business, portraying victims such as farmers and consumers adversely affected by genetically modified foods, and elucidating genetic pathways, and a very small portion on how to combat the problem -- how to become more empowered.

More attention should be placed on solutions, on action. DO YOU HEAR ME? We can passively absorb Garcia's messages because it is important. But we need to know specifically what to do to better our collective situation.

In closing, while Garcia's film thoroughly exposes the sick, spoiled, and corrupt system of agro-business that places profit over humanity, it leaves room for improvement. Yes, this subject is important to us all. And yes, towards the end of the film we are offered solutions such as the importance of supporting local farmers.

I know I will become an active participant in community farming, and buying organic. But we also must recognize that the power to enact change is in our hands, and if we really love ourselves and others, we must protect the planet and choose wisely. Remember, we are what we consume. It's not just food.

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