Directors’ Statement

There is a general unnerving feeling that there is something fundamentally wrong with the systems that currently govern our lives. In the case of food systems, corporate interests have changed our habits in terms of how we eat, what we eat and even what we think we want to eat. Overwhelmed by the magnitude of an industry that shoves its will down our throats, we feel paralyzed. We accept that we are powerless and unequipped to challenge or question the system. After all, we tell ourselves, that’s just the way it works.

When FIAN Brazil approached us to commission an animation on the corporate capture of food systems, we immediately saw the opportunity to address and dissect this complex issue using a visual language that we master.

We focused on the main players - Big Food, Big Money, Big Agro and Big Tech – and their corporate interests that rarely align with the needs of the people. The choice to personify these four giant industries brought our characters to life while showcasing the inner workings of this well-rehearsed quartet. The villains give us a glimpse of the world through their own perspective as they carry on their mischiefs believing in their own propaganda. For example, Big Agro is a hero! He gets rid of bugs and everything that gets in the way of a good crop and harvest, never mind the consequences. Big Food is another hero that puts a shine on every product and everything we could ever wish for, but is it still food? We use humor, topping it off with a musical number, to make a serious topic a bit more digestible.

We formed a formidable team that helped write, animate and compose in tight collaboration with FIAN Brazil, resulting in a piece we are proud of and hope will create an impact.