Another winner when it comes to documentaries about food politics.
I finally took up my pal Jackie‘s recommendation to see King Korn, and I’m so glad I did!
image source: kingkorn.net
The film is about two guys who decide to trace the route that corn takes to get from field to products. Many, many products.
Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis — those corny guys above — buy a single acre of Iowa land to plant their corn, then help fertilize, harvest and sell it. It’s a fascinating journey, as you learn how the corn they grow isn’t actually edible straight from the cob, and how the Farm Bill helped change (not really for the better) the way that corn is produced not only for food, but for animal feed and filler.
The official summary:
Almost everything Americans eat contains corn: high fructose corn syrup, corn-fed meat, and corn-based processed foods are the staples of the modern diet. Ready for an adventure and alarmed by signs of their generation’s bulging waistlines, college friends Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis know where to go to investigate. Eighty years ago, Ian and Curt’s great-grandfathers lived just a few miles apart, in the same rural county in northern Iowa. Now their great-grandsons are returning with a mission: they will plant an acre of corn, follow their harvest into the world, and attempt to understand what they—and all of us—are really made of.
Ian and Curt arrive in the Midwest enthusiastic about their new endeavor. Iowa’s newest farmers lease an acre of land from a skeptical landlord and fill out a pile of paperwork to sign up for subsidies. The government will pay them $28 to grow their acre of corn—the first of many steps that reinforce the idea that more corn is what America needs.
The movie is on Netflix streaming (get it while you can!) and also runs on PBS from time to time. In fact, the Independent Lens team did a challenge based on the film: could they avoid corn completely for a week? Get the answer here.
Check out the trailer below and let me know — what other movies or documentaries should I see? (All of my previous reviews are here.)
About Katy
I love this movie!! Wasn’t the hole in the cow disgusting? I still eat meat – but it defintiely changed my perspective!
Michelle @ Crazy*Running*Legs recently posted..What I Wish I Knew
I love movies/documentaries like this. Food Inc definitely scarred me!
I probably could avoid it for a week – I don’t really eat mUCH processed foods – mostly fruits n veggies for me and lean proteins.
Janice – Fitness Cheerleader recently posted..The HydraCoach Helps Me Stay Hydrated (Product Review)