We Feed the World

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Movie
German title We feed the world - food global
Original title We Feed the World
Country of production Austria
original language German
Publishing year 2005
length 95 minutes
Age rating FSK 6
JMK 6
Rod
Director Erwin Wagenhofer
script Erwin Wagenhofer
production Helmut Grasser
Allegro film
music Helmut Junker
Helmut Neugebauer
camera Erwin Wagenhofer
occupation

We Feed the World is an Austrian documentary film that throws a critical light on the increasing mass production of food and industrialization (for example in factory farming ).

The film, directed by Erwin Wagenhofer in 2005 , is the most successful Austrian documentary film since statistical records began. In German-speaking countries alone, the film reached around 600,000 cinema-goers. It opened in theaters on September 30, 2005.

action

The documentary film We Feed the World - Essen global by the Austrian Erwin Wagenhofer deals thematically with the causes and effects of globalization using the example of food production for the European Union . In various sections, Wagenhofer examines the various forms of globally organized industrial raw material extraction, production, trade, transport, disposal and the use of genetic engineering by food companies. The consequences of the industrially organized extraction of raw materials are explained through comments from different people in the film. Continuous text overlays provide background information and describe connections, which are also clarified by Jean Ziegler , the special rapporteur of the United Nations.

The film begins with a comment by an Austrian farmer who comments on the consequences of the agricultural subsidies and the disappearance of agriculture. Then the mowing of a cornfield, the removal of the raw material and then large quantities of bread are shown, which are taken to a collection point for disposal.

Then Wagenhofer accompanies a fisherman on a small cutter through his everyday life in Brittany . Then a fishmonger assesses the difference between traditional and industrial fishing based on the quality of the fish for food distribution.

Another section follows in Almería (southern Spain), where an agronomist leads the camera team through urban-sized greenhouse complexes where tomatoes are planted. These plants are mostly managed by North African workers. Then you can see how the tomatoes are transported 3,000 kilometers through Europe to Austria by truck.

The next section shows traditional farmers in Romania and, in contrast, new cultivation methods with hybrid seeds . The production director of the seed manufacturer Pioneer Hi-Bred / DuPont comments on the issue of genetic engineering, the declining quality of the food produced and the foreseeable collapse of traditional agriculture in Romania and elsewhere, as the development of hybrid seeds makes farmers dependent on international corporations. The title of the film We Feed the World comes from the advertising slogan of the agricultural company Pioneer.

The following chapter introduces the cultivation of transgenic soybeans in Brazil . Blairo Maggi is one of the world's largest producers and distributors of genetically modified food. At the same time, in contrast, a penniless smallholder family is depicted, who belong to the quarter of the population that suffers from chronic water and food shortages, while the genetically modified soy is transported to Europe and fed to poultry in Austria.

In the penultimate section, the process of industrial poultry production is presented: From the mass production of eggs, their hatching phase, through the hatching of the chicks, to serial slaughter and supermarket-appropriate packaging.

These individual reports on the globalized food industry conclude with an interview with the chairman of the world's largest food company , Nestlé , who advocates a market price for water.

background

Director's intention and production

Wagenhofer originally planned to make a detailed documentary about Viennese markets. The research, however, opened up wider perspectives. For example, Wagenhofer began to research where retailers get their food from. It was his intention to raise awareness about food production and its interrelationships and to broaden the audience's awareness of their food purchases. After completing the initial research, filming with the tomatoes began in Almería , Spain. There Wagenhofer wanted to have answered the question why tomatoes have to be imported to Austria over such a long distance. Wagenhofer only found out on site that the world's largest greenhouse facility is located in Andalusia and immediately incorporated it into his film. In order to establish a relationship with the respective actors on site, contact was initially made without a camera, and if consent was given, the processes were discussed together. The filmmaker was often only accompanied by his assistant director Lisa Ganser.

people

Jean Ziegler

The Swiss sociologist, politician and non-fiction author Jean Ziegler , born in 1934, is also the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food. From 1967–1983 and 1987–1999, Ziegler was a Geneva member of the National Council for the Social Democratic Party in Switzerland. He is a globalization critic and criticizes, among other things, the power of corporations in the world economy and their consequences for poor parts of the world as well as the situation of the agricultural markets. He appears in the film in his capacity as a special rapporteur, making global connections with reports and figures and criticizing them. His speeches form the central theme that runs through the various sections.

Dominique Cleuziou

The fisherman, who comes from Concarneau, has a longstanding bond with nature and the sea. He has been working in fishing since he was 15. He is portrayed in the film in such a way that he relies more on the perception of his environment than on technical equipment. Dominique Cleuziou takes these perceptions very seriously in order to achieve a successful fish catch. He brings in a small amount of fish every day with his fishing boat. The Breton is proud of his work. But he fears that his work will be jeopardized by the European Union's planned industrial fishing.

Phillippe Cleuziou

The fishmonger assesses goods from traditional and industrial fishing competently and with punctuation. He illustrates his comments with direct examples of the color and quality of the different fish. He attaches great importance to the freshness and taste of the goods and criticizes the fact that even catches that were previously thrown away because of their poor taste and the resulting low value are now being sold as tasteless fillets. The quoted saying “It's not for eating, it's only for selling” from the fish trade expresses Cleuzious's rejection of this type of fishing.

Lieven Bruneel

“The miracle of Almería ” is what the agronomist calls the industrialized production of fruit and vegetables on more than 25,000 hectares. From his point of view, he shows the advantages of the technology that protects the plants from pests and other dangers. He only expresses concerns about industrialized fruit and vegetable production with regard to the threat to the market from the production facilities in Morocco , Italy and Israel . In the early 1960s the government subsidized the water supply and the construction of the greenhouses. The EU funding has made the high-tech expansion and economic upswing possible. The irrigation and fertilization were controlled by computers, this yielded up to five harvests a year. Today the level is no longer sufficient for new facilities, so mountain slopes are being removed to create new areas for greenhouses. The groundwater in Almería has fallen sharply and threatens to become too saline.

Karl Otrok

The production director of the seed manufacturer Pioneer came to Romania in 1999 . On behalf of his group, he promotes the use of hybrid seeds, which results in the displacement of traditional organic agriculture. During his speeches, he describes himself as acting loyally to the company, but does not hold back with his private critical opinion on capitalism and the way large corporations work. He has an ecological awareness and attaches great importance to organic food because it is in them that he finds the original taste. He also has an admiring attitude towards the traditional ways of working of the Romanian farmers. Regarding the work of his group, he says “We fucked up the west few times, and now we are coming to Romania, we will fuck all the agriculture here.” According to filmzentrale.com, Otrok is now retired. After his retirement he tried to set up his own small agricultural business. After the film premiere of “We Feed the World”, however, a boycott call with reference to the film against Otrok's land trade is said to have been sent. Brigitte Zarzer, author of the article, refers to Wagenhofer.

Vincent José Puhl

Not much information is given about the biologist. He is familiar with the production and transportation of soy. He has a critical attitude towards the world's largest soy producer " Grupo Amaggi ", whose owner Blairo Maggi is also the governor of the state of Mato Grosso in Brazil. Puhl criticizes that the soil, for which huge areas of rainforest have been cleared, is not suitable for soy, and that soy is undesirable in Amazonia. He criticizes the destruction of the rainforest and the behavior of the politicians who make it possible for animals in the European Union and other countries to be fed soy from Brazil and thus indirectly eat up the rainforest.

Hannes Schulz

The poultry farmer proudly presents his broiler breeding farm in Styria . He names the statistical data of the herd and leads through the various technical work steps from the incubation of eggs in the machines to the delivery of the chicks to the poultry dealers. Schulz complains that consumers have no understanding of difficulties in the production cycle and that there is no awareness of how production and the process are carried out with living products. Consumers are interested in a cheap price policy, and this forces the breeder to go into factory farming. He justifies this awkward pricing policy with the fact that decision-makers who are unfamiliar with the subject and who have no real connection to agriculture due to their academic training set the relevant framework conditions.

Johannes Titz

The Austrian poultry trader explains that factory farming is necessary, as the poultry traders only earn income from the large number of items. Automated slaughtering machinery is the most efficient way to produce cheap chicken. Stress-free slaughter for the chickens is important. Due to the great demand for meat, Titz does not see itself in a position to manufacture the products under consideration of organic quality seals. In addition, he sees the market at risk from cheaper suppliers from abroad.

Peter Brabeck

The Austrian economist became CEO of the Nestlé Group , the world's largest food company , in 1997 . Since 2005 he has also been Chairman of the Board of Directors. Brabeck is of the opinion that water should be given a market value so that consumers learn to appreciate this value:

“Well, of course, water is the most important raw material that we still have in the world today. It is a question of whether or not we privatize the normal water supply for the population. And there are two different views. One view - extreme, I would say - is held by some, by the NGOs , who insist that water be declared a public right. That means, as a human being, you should simply have the right to have water. That is one extreme solution. And the other that says water is a food; like any other food, it should have a market value. Personally, I think it is better to add value to a food so that we are all aware that it costs something. And then afterwards you try, more specifically, for this part of the population that does not have access to this water, that you intervene a little more specifically there, and there are different possibilities. "

The manager sees the use of genetic engineering as a necessity, since only this can counteract the arbitrary nature. He sees his greatest social responsibility as ensuring the profitable future and financial security of his company. He sees problems such as water shortage and famine, with regard to constant growth in human prosperity, quality of life and technical progress, as solvable problems worldwide and speaks out in favor of “positive future-oriented thinking”.

The final scene of the film is a take in which Brabeck goes to the company's own presentation room and explains his point of view as to why we can look to the future with confidence and positivity: “We have never lived so well, we have never had so much money . We have never been so healthy. We have never lived so long, we have everything we want - and yet - [we are] psychologically in a mood of sadness. ”A monitor in the room shows a fully automated food factory in operation. Brabeck said appreciatively, "how modern these factories are ... highly robotized - almost no people ...", which remains uncommented as the last sentence of the film.

Other contributors

Other actors from the different countries are truck drivers, farmers, a family of small farmers, workers and a pilot who are not discussed in the film.

Narrative structure

Wagenhofer built the film on two levels. On the one hand, the text and speeches are in a factual, rational information frame, while on the other hand, what is written and spoken is illustrated in pictures and the extent of the catastrophic life situations of some actors is vividly depicted on an emotional level. Recurring elements are used, such as the separate chapters, text panels and actors who are familiar with the respective events because they are part of the process or those affected. These actors are usually introduced with a subtitle indicating the name and occupation of the person when they speak in more than one short sequence. The fisherman Dominique Cleuziou is an exception. Jean Ziegler is no longer featured afterwards, possibly due to his frequent presence in his first two comments with subtitles. Few chapters build on one another, such as B. the report on soy production in Marto Grosso and the fattening farms in Styria. Here Wagenhofer did not use a black screen, but created a direct transition from the transport of soy to the fattening animals. The text panels explain relationships that could not have been interpreted through the visual components of the film alone. Wagenhofer leaves the role of the moral judge to Jean Ziegler, who uses emotional comments to establish the connections to the previously seen images or introduces stories such as that of the farming family in northeastern Brazil or the interview with Peter Brabeck. Some of the actors are Austrians and speak German. Nevertheless, Wagenhofer has provided these speeches with German subtitles so that the Austrian dialect does not affect the quality of understanding. In the case of Karl Otrok, there could have been problems understanding, because he uses the term eggplant for the term aubergine, which is hardly widespread in Germany.

Image, sound and montage

The camera settings keep the film rather simple. The camera settings are usually standard perspectives consisting of long shots, close-ups and portraits. Most of the actors can be heard off-screen. With Otrok and Brabeck, Wagenhofer also added an off-screen comment to the original sound. Overall, the filmmaker mainly uses the original sound. He only uses sound effects in a few places (approx. 6 in total). These are used in the opening credits, aerial shots, truck trips and the credits.

success

“We Feed the World” is the most successful Austrian documentary film since statistical records began. With 200,000 visitors in Austria and around 380,000 visitors in Germany, the film is one of the most successful Austrian productions in recent years and is the most watched Austrian production in Austria in 2006. In Switzerland the film reached 23,000 visitors, in France 180,000. A total of around 800,000 cinema visits were counted in Europe, but the statistics are incomplete.

Reviews

"Even if it would be more gracious not to know some things exactly: The insights that Wagenhofer's documentation [...] provides encourage an examination of one's conscience."

- Upper Austrian news [1]

“'We Feed the World' is not only aimed at consumer awareness, but also at politics. What is required are setbacks in the design of basic framework conditions - setbacks that would mean actual progress. "

- Ö1 synchronous [2]

“Some critics accused Wagenhofer of black and white painting or that the cut, sound and montage gave the strip a one-sided anti-globalization note, for example by reproducing interview excerpts (e.g. with Nestle CEO Peter Brabeck) out of context would have been. That may well be true. But what can you really blame Wagenhofer for: that he disfigures an absurd system of recognizability? "

- Brigitte Zarzer on filmzentrale.com [3]

“'We feed the world' literally leaves the food in your throat. It is shown in a terrifying way how the thought of profit maximization throws every scruple and every spark of humanity overboard. This documentation should be a must for every consumer so that at least nobody can say 'If I had known that beforehand ...!' "

- Michael Tomiak on Splashmovies.de [4]

Awards

literature

  • Erwin Wagenhofer, Max Annas: We Feed the world : What food really costs us. Orange Press, Freiburg im Breisgau 2006. ISBN 978-3-936086-26-3 (also: Polar review ).
  • Ewelina Michta: " We Feed the World. Essen global . On the catastrophic consequences of the globalization of food production, based on the documentary by Erwin Wagenhofer". In: Ewa Wojno-Owczarska (ed.): Literary disaster discourses in the 20th and 21st centuries. Berlin et al. 2019
  • Stefan Kreutzberger, Valentin Thurn: The food shredders : "Taste the Waste" - Why half of all food ends up in the garbage and who is responsible for it. Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Cologne 2011, ISBN 978-3-462-04349-5 (The book for the film: "Taste the Waste").
  • Tristram Stuart: For the bin . How we waste our food (with a foreword by Sabine Werth, original title: Waste : Uncovering the Global Food Scandal, translated by Thomas Bertram) Artemis & Winkler, Mannheim 2011, ISBN 978-3-538-07313-5 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Age rating for We Feed the World . Youth Media Commission .
  2. ↑ a b Database on film attendance in Europe , lumiere.obs.coe.int, accessed on March 6, 2008
  3. ^ Films from A – Z , filminstitut.at, accessed on March 6, 2008
  4. ^ Filmzentrale.com , accessed on January 28, 2009.
  5. ↑ see also the interview with Wagenhofer at Ultimo film reviews