Entry #7. The American Culture of Fresh

Hello,

I recently had the opportunity to view this film called Fresh by Ripple Effect Films, which was directed by Ana Joanes. Overall, it is a film that discusses the farming and industries production and what it means to Americans. However, it is more than that as the film also includes the American culture of producing bigger, easier, and greater products for consumers.

“George, Americans fear only one thing, inconvenience.” George’s college roommate from Pakistan said. (Fresh)

Photo by Burst: Sam Jotham Sutharson

This film brought problems to the light, knowledge to be attained, solutions to consider, and discussions to be said. All of which gives the audience a chance to have prime and effective thinking even when the film is over. I believe that the purpose of this film, besides the obvious of having the general public really consider the health of their food, is the call of help from farmers and the dangers of industrial farms. Which means that the tone throughout the film signals importance and urgency, as it also brings out the reality of American culture of the people that don’t know or even think about where their food really comes from and how it effects Americans every day.

It really impacted me when I saw it. At first though, I’ll say that without knowing this film beforehand, not having a lot of opinions or thoughts about where my food comes from, or what the film might contain, I thought that an hour and ten minutes of talking about farms and industries was a bit too much. However, I am so happy and grateful to say that I was wrong. After the first ten minutes, or really when that quote, “Americans only fear one thing, inconvenience,” by George’s Pakistan roommate, I was completely and wholly invested by what the film had to say.

Photo by Burst: Matthew Henry

Moreover, I would say that it was a shock to learn how much problems farmers were going through with this day and age of industry farming. “Once you concentrate animals into these animal cities, that we call factory farms or feedlots you have all sorts of problems… You’ve created a pollution problem where you didn’t have one because if you keep animals on farms their manure is a blessing. You can use it to grow other crops, you can close the nutrient cycle between the animals that can eat crop waste, the parts of the plants you can’t sell, and they produce fertility for your fields… We took this solution, plants and animals working together, and we divided it neatly into two problems. One is this pollution problem on the feedlot where the manure becomes a pollutant instead of a blessing and then the other is on the farms, we have a fertility crisis because there are no animals left so we have to buy synthetic fertilizer.” (Fresh)

Farmers in America have many problems that they have to deal with that most of the general public doesn’t even know about. As well as the fact that it is so hard and so expensive to have quality food, it becomes a part of the American culture and creates a normalcy when there wasn’t one before.

“We can tip the balance of nature to a certain extent. But when we try to tip it too far it creates problems. And I think that’s what we’ve done in the food system, that’s what we’ve done in our overall economy, and that’s what we’ve done in our society. We just got so obsessed with productivity, having more cheap stuff and we’re facing the inevitable negative consequences.” (Fresh)

Photo by Burst: Matthew Henry

I think this film should have more recognition and more deep dives into what it shows. It should be what everyone watches at least once, most of all Americans as it pertains to American farmers and the industries in America. I think that it is important to see this film and really consider about how it shines a light on what is really happening to the American cultures and food. As, it is something that effects everyone. So I am very fortunate to have seen this film and hope that everyone watches it. I will certainly tell my friends and family to watch it.

Until next time!

-Mia R.

 

Fresh. Directed by Ana Sofia Joanes, Ripple Effect Films, April 2009.