Into the Weeds – Film Screenings
- Watch the trailer.
- Watch the shorter version on CBC Gem.
- Click here to find out about screenings in your area.
INTO THE WEEDS follows groundskeeper Dewayne “Lee” Johnson and his fight for justice against Monsanto (now Bayer). Johnson’s case was the first to go to trial in a series of lawsuits involving tens of thousands of plaintiffs claiming Monsanto’s weed killer Roundup, or its industrial counterpart Ranger Pro, contributed to their cancer. The film follows this groundbreaking trial, while also stepping back to consider the systemic effects of the world’s most widely used herbicide.
As we toggle back and forth between the detail and scale of this ubiquitous product’s impact, it becomes clear that the Johnson verdict will have global repercussions. Our anchor is always Lee: his philosophy, his struggle, and his fight for justice in the face of debilitating and terminal illness. Will Monsanto (Bayer) be forced to change Roundup’s label? To compensate the myriad victims? To address the wide-ranging ecological effects? We consider the limitations of mass torts and using the courts as a tool for social good, and the likelihood of money damages affecting the practice of a company worth billions. By telling Johnson’s story, INTO THE WEEDS ultimately considers whether this kind of David vs. Goliath fight is capable of instigating lasting and substantial change.
Modified – Film Screenings
- Watch the shorter version of the documentary on CBC online!
- Buy the DVD for your own use
- Check listings for a list of screenings in your area.
Modified is a first-person feature documentary that questions why genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not labeled in Canada and the US, despite being labeled in 64 countries around the world. Shot over a span of ten years, the film follows the fight to label GMOs while debunking the myth that we need GMOs to “feed the world”. The film’s story is anchored in the relationship between the filmmaker and her mother, a passionate organic gardener and food activist who died of cancer during the film’s production. The film is directed and produced by award-winning producer of “Kitchen Vignettes on PBS” and food writer Aube Giroux, executive produced by acclaimed producer Camelia Frieberg, and edited by Mike Munn, editor of the Oscar-nominated “Stories We Tell”. Modified is distributed by Blue Ice Docs and will be released in September 2017. Watch the trailer.
