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Title: Deconstructing supper Reference: Director, Marianne Kaplan; producers,
Leonard Terhoch & Marianne Kaplan; writers, Merrily Weisbrod &
Marianne Kaplan Abstract: Looks at the way modern food is produced through genetic modification and through organic farming in Canada, Europe, India, and United States. A gourmet chef, John Bishop, leads us on an investigation of various genetically modified food products and the leader in genetic engineering, Monsanto. Library of Congress subjects: Reviews and Numerical Ratings (3) Starts out hokey, but improves. Clear and informative about the claims and methods of biotech companies, the problem of governments accepting corporations’ safety tests, the efficacy of the British anti-GM movement, the concern of farmers that GM plants are becoming new super-weeds, the near-monopoly of Monsanto, and the existence of an anti-GM movement in India. A little thin on content for a 48-minute video, and low on representation of women, but more concrete in its examples and in the evidence on the anti-GM side than most other videos I viewed. A cute method of organizing the info is that the narrator, a chef (who converts to organic by the end), eats with many of his respondents as he learns about the foods they advocate. This makes it easy to remember the Canadian organic farmer, the GM scientist (this was a surprising meal!), the British activist, and the Indian farmer. Kathy Bischoping (2.5) This video starts out slowly and is initially quite cheesy. But I found that it got more interesting. It basically covers genetically modified organisms from a variety of perspectives, including the scientists who work in the lab and the activists trying to stop it. It follows a chef in his quest to understand (and, ultimately, to reject) them. Useful perhaps as a particular take on the imperatives of capital. Brian Fuller (3) This documentary endeavors to explore what is in genetically modified food and how it is fabricated. This documentary is objective and examines the pros and cons linked with genetically modified food. With respects to the first query, it demonstrates that genetically modified food is comprised of chemicals, pesticides, and other elements that would not be in the food had it grown naturally. This point correlates with the argument that there are potential health risks associated with consuming genetically-engineered food. In support of the pro argument, the documentary posits that corporations such as Monsanto gain economically and are able to expand, which leads to feeding a considerable amount of the world population. In addition, the documentary takes the controversial issue a step further by demonstrating how corporations such as Monsanto are colonizing the production of food and how they are expropriating agricultural crops at the global level. In light of this predicament, this documentary shows how activists in Europe and India have established organizations that militate against corporations like Monsanto and other and exhort the public to be conscious of the health problems associated with G.M.F and to purchase organic foods. Carlos Torres (undergraduate) (3) This movie addresses very big questions including,
how is knowledge legitimized, what is considered progress and what is
power. The film also outlines some of the shortcomings of economic measurements,
specifically its inability to account for health and environmental costs.
Although the movie starts off slowly with an introduction to the life
of an awkward, white male restaurateur (who is also the narrator of
the film), the film quickly speeds up. The film gives a very balanced
perspective and the Canadian case of the Saskatchewan farmer sued by
Monsanto is likely to bring this issue home to students. The only shortcoming
of the film is that solutions for change are restricted to a focus on
individual/consumer politics. Sarah Newman
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