Fresh: New Documentary Kicks Off Week of Sustainable Food Events

On the heels of Food, Inc. a new documentary by Ana Joanes takes a look at the bad, the very bad, and the hopeful aspects of our national food system. For anyone who has read Omnivore's Dilemma or seen like-minded films, much of this will be familiar. But that doesn't mean it's not worth seeing—Fresh is, indeed, refreshing. I had heard farmer-proselytizer Joel Salatin and Michael Pollan's speeches before, but I was surprised and inspired by the segment on Will Allen, whose 3-acre farm in the middle of urban Milwaukee is literally changing people's lives. The 6'7" former basketball player has arms like tree logs and a quiet charisma that makes you understand how he can get people excited about dirt and worms (he is also a 2008 MacArthur Genius Grant winner). This is all well and good, but the real power of Fresh is that it's giving people real, concrete opportunities to put sustainable food practices into action. This Thursday, the film's producers are kicking of Fresh Week, a roster of exciting dinners, talks, and workshops across the country. In New York, Mario Batali is hosting farm-to-table lunches at Lupa; Joel Salatin will come clean about what it's like to be a "Lunatic Farmer;" and Sixpoint and Mast Brothers are teaming up for a beer and chocolate tasting. The film will debut April 7th at Tribeca Cinemas (a "green carpet" premiere, for a change),  followed by a week-long run at the Quad Cinema. It then rolls nationally as part of the Whole Foods Market "Let's Retake Our Plates" film series.

Can't make it to an event? Check out freshthemovie.com and its blog for ideas on how you can do your part.