Gaining Ground Documentary
A New Film on Food Justice and Feeding Communities Sustainably
The negative impacts of industrial agriculture are everywhere. The increasing threat of genetically engineered food and the destruction of local communities can make us feel powerless to effect change. GAINING GROUND, a new documentary film by Elaine Velazquez and Barbara Bernstein, is an intimate view of rural and urban farmers embracing this challenge.
On Wednesday, September 30 and Thursday, October 1, the Media Project presents the Portland premiere of GAINING GROUND, at Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st Avenue in Northwest Portland, at 7 pm. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and people featured in the film, and a reception at the theater after the September 30 screening. GAINING GROUND, tells the personal stories of farmers making extraordinary changes in their farming practices so they can feed their local communities sustainably grown produce and grains.
From farms in Oregon’s fertile Willamette Valley to under served communities of color in Richmond, California, GAINING GROUND reveals the tenacity and courage of these diverse urban and rural farmers, committed to serving and empowering their communities. The documentary interweaves experiences of urban farmer-activists in inner city Richmond, California; a small family farm in rural Oregon converting from a commodity dairy to a sustainably grown produce farm; and a large farm in the Willamette Valley transitioning from grass seed to organic grains. This is the food documentary that not only explores the problems of our food system but through personal stories shows what we can do to seek solutions.The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers and farmers featured in the film: Doria Robinson with Urban Tilth in Richmond, CA; Vicki Hertel with Sun Gold Farm in Verboort, OR; and Willow Coberly and Harry Stalford with Stalford Seed Farm in Tangent, OR. There will be a reception at the theater after the September 30 screening.
Filmmakers Elaine Velazquez and Barbara Bernstein have been creating film and radio documentaries for over thirty-five years. Their award winning work has been broadcast on public television and radio, screened at international film festivals and distributed through broad grassroots networks.This screening is co-sponsored by KBOO-FM, Oregon Tilth, Portland Farmers’ Market, Food and Water Watch and Growing Gardens.
Gaining Ground is partially funded by the Regional Arts & Culture Council , Whole Foods Market, Bob & Ann Phillips and Jan and Steven Marx.
For more information:
Barbara Bernstein & Elaine Velazquez
mediapro@spiritone.com
503-235-2623
