Local Family Produces Film, Food Patriots, Premieres April 10

From Foodborne
Illness Victims to Food Patriots: Family Action Network Hosts North Shore Doc
Premiere

WINNETKA, IL — A Northbrook family that
almost lost their son to a foodborne illness is changing the way Americans
think about food with a new documentary and public engagement campaign called Food Patriots. The first public
screening on the North Shore will be held at Skokie School, Winnetka, at 7PM on
April 10. The event is sponsored by The Family Action Network, Winnetka Park
District and School District 36.

Food
Patriots begins with a wake up call: filmmakers Jeff Spitz and
Jennifer Amdur Spitz’s son got sick eating chicken contaminated with a
superbug, and antibiotics failed. The film chronicles the family’s newfound
interest in food sources, getting outlaw chickens, and meeting people from all
walks of life who are trying to change the way Americans eat food, buy food,
and educate the next generation of consumers. They call the people who are
doing this Food Patriots.

“Like most families, we are concerned about
the disconnect between health and food,” film director Jeff Spitz said. “Being unenthusiastic about chickens and all types of yard work, I
picked up a camera to document my family’s journey, starting in our backyard
and traveling across the country to find real stories that inspire us to keep
going.”

Food Patriots and its public
screening events offer personal stories and a practical approach: change what
you buy and eat by just 10 percent—think local, fresh, organic and
sustainably-raised.

 “This is a film that doesn’t make
you feel powerless about changing the food system,” said Jennifer Amdur Spitz, Food Patriots co-producer. “Food Patriots shows how even a small
thing like planting vegetables can spark big conversations that lead to
individual and social change. We vote with our food dollars. Businesses in the
marketplace will either adapt, or make way for new entrepreneurs.”

But don’t expect to see this funny,
poignant film alone. The Spitz’s vision is to distribute Food Patriots through schools, non-profit organizations, chefs,
businesses, colleges and faith groups – anywhere people gather and socialize. Anyone can host a screening too. 

Food Patriots is the opening night film for the Wisconsin Film Festival on April 3.  It is also booked at University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Dominican University and the Gary Comer Youth Center on April 22, for Earth Day. Other screening dates are listed on Food Patriots website.

Each event will shine a spotlight on local
"Food Patriots" and their
initiatives, reinforcing the idea that Food
Patriots are everywhere and anyone can enter this picture and share their
food story.

Chicago audiences will recognize local Food Patriots such as Ken Dunn (City
Farm), Sheelah Muhammad (Fresh Moves Bus), LaManda Joy (Peterson Garden
Project), Jolanta Hardej (Farmed Here Aquaponic Farm) and Jim Slama, founder of
the annual Good Food Festival in downtown Chicago. Sports fans will discover
how college athletes are becoming Food Patriots at a Big Ten university. 

About
the Filmmakers

Food Patriots is a product of Groundswell Educational Films, a nonprofit
organization that combines documentary films with teaching media skills, live
events, persistence and advocacy to leverage real change.

Jeff
Spitz is an award-winning filmmaker and documentary film professor at Columbia
College Chicago.  He is the co-founder of
Groundswell, and serves as director and co-producer of Food Patriots. Jennifer Amdur Spitz is a communication strategist
and marketing professional and principal of Amdur Spitz & Associates, a Chicago public
relations agency.  She is the co-founder
of Groundswell, and co-producer of Food
Patriots.

Food Patriots’ executive producer is
James A. Knight. The editor is John Farbrother.

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Download the movie