America's food system sucks and people are totally over it. In fact, they're Fed Up, an attitude epitomized by the new documentary of the same name.
The heralded documentary premieres at O Cinema Miami Shores this Friday, presented by Seed Food & Wine Festival, and will feature a post-flick Skype Q&A with director Stephanie Soechtig.
See also: Seed Food & Wine Fest: "We Want This to Be a Movement"
The film addresses America's obesity epidemic through the eyes of overweight children struggling to drop pounds. It points a finger squarely at one specific ingredient -- sugar -- and argues that the food industry and the government have colluded in steering consumers astray.
"It's certainly about how misinformed we are as a general public and how misleading the government and the food industry have been with us. I think it's fair to say they have been less than honest," said O Cinema co-founder Kareem Tabsch.
"It follows a group of kids for a two-year period who've been battling weight issues their entire childhood. Even doing their due diligence, they're just not being successful," Tabsch said. "It's really because of the ingredients in food, including specifically diet food where fat content is removed from the food but a massive amount of sugar is added so the food still is palatable."
Tabsh and Seed founders Alison Burgos and Michelle Gaber have been friends forever, he says, and this film seemed like the perfect opportunity to come together. O Cinema Wynwood also will host a screening for Seed's main event in October.
Fed Up's approach is journalistic, Tabsch adds. The executive producer team includes Laurie David (who also produced the Oscar-winning An Inconvenient Truth), and Katie Couric, who voices it. It also features big names like Bill Clinton and Michael Pollan. The film has made waves since its recent release, earning critical kudos and fueling the fire for consumers who are increasingly concerned about our food supply.
"I am certainly not mister healthy eating," Tabsch says, laughing. "Everybody's who met me can confirm that for you. But it's one of those things where you see that film and you can't help but start looking at labels when you buy things or really thinking about every food decision you make."
The film premieres on Friday at 7 p.m. at 9806 NE 2nd Ave., O Cinema Miami Shores. Tickets cost $11 for general admission, $9.50 for students and seniors, and $7.50 for members. The film will run at the location through the following weekend.
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