Planet Green to Debut World Television Premiere of Film What's On Your Plate?
This hearty documentary follows two city kids as they explore their place in the food chain
January 21, 2010
(Silver Spring, MD) Debunking the phrase "you are what you eat," eleven year-old best friends Sadie Hope-Gund and Safiyah Riddle chronicle urban sustainability by finding answers to questions ranging from where does food come from? to how is it made? and how did it get here? The documentary follows their personal quest to learn how food gets from its origins to the fork. In the course of one-year, these New York City tweens interview farmers, teachers and politicians to learn what is really on their plate and to empower others to make changes in their own neighborhoods worldwide. What's On Your Plate, a colorful and clever two-hour documentary, will air on Planet Green, Feb. 6, 10 p.m. ET as part of the network's REEL IMPACT weekly documentary strand.
What's On Your Plate, an Aubin Pictures production, documents conversations between Sadie and Safiyah with local farmers to learn first-hand how food is grown, taken from the earth and delivered to the plate, as well as a prolific look at doctors who explain the dangers of childhood obesity, the risk of diabetes-through the voices of family friends suffering from the disease-and high cholesterol, a genetic trait that Sadie herself has to monitor.
The girls also unlock the mysteries and open the wonders of neighborhood green markets and the importance of developing community supported agriculture (CSA's) that support and uphold both local farmers and residents. And of utmost importance, Sadie and Safiyah delve into the politics, challenges and strides public schools are making to better feed, fuel and fortify today's youth and tomorrow's leaders.
"Because this story is told through the eyes of kids, 'What's On Your Plate' more than educates families on making the right food choices in a digestible manner. It inspires everyone to make the issues of food a part of their daily conversation," said Laura Michalchyshyn, President and General Manager, Planet Green, Discovery Health and FitTV. "Sadie and Safiyah prove that even in the toughest urban landscape-New York City-sustainable eating is easy, affordable and doable everywhere."
"The time is now for parents and children to learn the real deal about the weakest links in our food chain," said director/producer Catherine Gund and proud mom of Sadie. "The motivation behind 'What's On Your Plate' is simply that the more kids know about why it's important to eat well, the more likely they are to do the right thing and help inform and motivate others to follow suit and pass the knowledge along to future generations."
Planetgreen.com will offer viewers an opportunity to go more in depth with the topics tackled in the film. This site will offer ways to start conversations with children about food sources through a series of articles on the subject. The site will also have advice about eating local, organic or using fair trade options. Information, including video components, will be located at planetgreen.discovery.com/tv/reel-impact.html.
About Planet Green:
Planet Green is the multi-platform media destination that launched on June 4, 2008. Planet Green is the center for a new conversation, speaking to people who want to understand how humans impact the planet, and showcase passionate people doing forward thinking things.
Planet Green and its two robust websites planetgreen.com and TreeHugger.com, offer unique, original, insightful, inspiring, and entertaining content related to how we can evolve to live a better, brighter future. Planet Green's unique programming, digital tools, and content will enlighten, empower and most certainly, entertain.
Planet Green is a division of Discovery Communications.