Food, Inc. - DVD

Film: Food is such an important part of our lives that more and more people are treating lightly. We are too easily seduced by advertising or current trends without really questioning what ends up on our plates. In his documentary "Food, Inc." Robert Kenner reveals the dirty truth behind the scenes of food production. How ordinary farmers have to suffer under the enormous regulations of the big corporations, but cannot resist it, because then, heavily in debt, they would lose their land. How consumers are misled about the nutritional value of their food. How animals are fattened in the cruelest way, workers are exploited and critical voices are muzzled, all this is conveyed in a stirring, exciting and yet enormously entertaining way.

But the documentary not only impressively shows what the consequences of industrialized agriculture in the USA are for the consumer. It also shows the vicious circle into which especially those people fall who have a low income: while fruits and vegetables are enormously expensive, you can get soft drinks and fast food for a few cents. This leads to an enormous increase in diabetes, even among children and young people. The medicines for the treatment of diabetes are however again so expensive that then from the small salary so much money goes on it that a nourishing change becomes purely financially impossible.

Now one could think as a viewer in this country that contents from "Food, Inc." are limited only to the USA. But that would be thinking too short-sightedly. Certainly, in America the problem is much more extreme than in Germany, for example. But to claim that we don't have comparable problems when it comes to nutrition and the food industry would simply be wrong. And that's exactly why the documentary, even if its content is limited to the USA, is also enormously important for the German audience.

The information is unbelievable, the images shocking, the film makes you angry and makes you rethink your own diet. Although it will probably only in very rare cases lead to a complete change of eating and buying behavior, but the information offered here is of immense importance, even for the next purchase in the supermarket. Particularly interesting in this regard is the walk through a food fair, where it is revealed to which large corporations apparently small companies specializing in organic food belong. Or even where corn is found everywhere (even in batteries!) and what genetic manipulation of food can lead to.

The overriding message of "Food, Inc." is that we as consumers are actually much more powerful than we think we are. We have ceded too much power to the big food corporations who are exploiting this in truly criminal ways, especially in the US. An exciting and educational documentary that was rightly nominated for an Oscar. Definitely worth watching!

Image + Sound: The technical realization is on a good level for a current documentary. While there are noticeable weaknesses in some of the older footage or that done with a hidden camera, overall the picture is clean, the colors vibrant and the overall sharpness absolutely satisfactory. The audio plays primarily in the frontal area and is dominated primarily by the interviews and soundtrack. Good!

Extras: Apart from a trailer for the film and three other programme tips, the DVD unfortunately has no bonus material to offer.

Conclusion: "Food, Inc." is a great documentary that can already spoil your appetite - and that's a good thing. An important as well as entertaining film that is definitely more than recommendable despite the lack of bonus material!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp