What’s On Your Plate? This Sunday, November 21, 5pm
Wednesday November 17th, 2010
Children and Nature Saratoga is sponsoring an event with the Saratoga Film Forum this weekend! Bring your kids to a screening of WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE?, a thought-provoking film followed by a lively discussion and amazing food catered by Lily and the Rose! Info and tickets available at http://www.saratogafilmforum.org/ Event tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for kids.
Link to the movie trailer here: http://www.whatsonyourplateproject.org
Eating the best-tasting cherry tomato ever got now thirteen year old Sadie Hope-Gund curious. Why did this tomato taste so much better than most of the stuff people eat in New York City, where she lives? Her quest to find out eventually led her and best friend Safiyah Riddle to make the movie “What’s On Your Plate?” Sadie’s mom, award-winning filmmaker Catherine Gund, directed the witty and provocative documentary on how food gets from farm to plate.
These two vegetarian grade schoolers did more than their homework. They researched, visited farmers markets and food growers, and interviewed food activists and nutrition experts to figure out how to improve their own and their friends’ access to healthy, fresh foods.
The result is earning impressive critiques from people like Michael Pollan, author of In Defense of Food and Food Rules, who says “’What’s On Your Plate’ is exactly the film we need now.” Former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan applauds the young documentarians: “Congratulations, Sadie and Safiyah! It is great to have you take us through the food cycle. As somebody said: ‘You are what you eat.’ Thank you for helping us get it right. You will definitely capture the imagination of your peers and generations beyond,” according to the website whatsonyourplateproject.org.
Kids are very much influenced by their peers, especially at that age. Sadie and Safiyah’s film can have a huge impact on children who want to know the truth about the food they eat every day. Tracing the food chain,
“What’s on your plate?” answers the basic question, “where does our food come from?” It explains what “food miles” tell you about your food and how to become a locavore or join a CSA (Community-supported Agriculture).
Why the very “non-preachy film” (as one review says) hits a nerve with kids? the thing about the movie, we don’t actually tell people how to eat. I would feel hypocritical if I would tell someone like, “don’t eat that.” They’ be like, “you’re not my mom!” So it wouldn’t help,” explains Safiyah in an interview with The Faster Times.
