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Seen the movie?Co-op
filmmakers share what they’ve learned The
following interview was conducted electronically with four of the five
member
worker/ filmmakers who made Honest Weight Food Co-op: A Really
Great
Place to Shop! The filmmakers—Eleanor Goldsmith, Jill
Malouf,
Rachelle Menshikova, Branda Miller and Steve
Pierce—are
all HWFC member workers and Indymedia collaborators with different
backgrounds
and styles. Eleanor describes the film’s creation: “We all cooked our
own bits,
and then came together to put them into one big meal” over the course
of 18
months. Last June, the film debuted at the Spectrum Theater in
celebration of
our 30th anniversary, and parts of it have screened at this year’s and
last
year’s Member Appreciation Dinners. Every branch in the Upper Hudson
Library
System, too, now has a copy to view. If you have
not yet seen this documentary film about our Co-op and employees,
members, customers
and the larger community — including the many folks whose lives Honest
Weight is
a part of by doing business with them — I highly recommend picking up
the DVD.
It’s for sale now (only $8!) in our Education and Outreach section of
the
store. Check it out and share it widely! –
Karisa Centanni, HWFC Education
Coordinator Q: What did you learn about
the Co-op
that you didn’t know before shooting the film? JM: I learned that there are
many
different tasks that a member worker can complete for member hours, not
just
working in the store! I also learned a lot of history and the
importance of
buying local. BM: The Co-op is really about
so much more
than food—it is about community! With every shot I took, I
appreciated my
connection to this community even more. EG: I learned that food is a
subject
that most people have a lot of stuff to say about; that where their
food comes from,
how it’s distributed and how it’s sold, is not only very interesting,
but a highly
moral issue that the Co-op and it’s members really think about in a
meaningful
way. Q: What did you enjoy most
about making
the film, Honest Weight Food Co-op: A Really Great Place to Shop!? BM: Working with the HWFC
staff,
especially the long discussions with Nate and Karisa, who are so
dedicated to getting
the word out; running into Cherie Johnson working in the office as I
looked for
subjects to shoot one day and having such an immediate, deep bond with
her
after hearing her soulful voice and learning her profound insights
about the
essence of the Co-op being about love; following our own
extraordinary
Gayle from the Produce department to the local market and being forever
struck
by the essential relationship we have to our local farmers/ heroes;
following
Guinevere to pick up eggs and meeting Dave at Cornell Farms; and
sharing
collectively and collaboratively with my very talented member
worker/filmmakers. EG: I got to experience the
artistry of Gustav
and his hard-working cohorts, who have turned cheese tasting into an
interactive
performance where tasty bites are handed out, discussed and eaten by an
appreciative audience of shoppers. Q: How would you recommend
our
membership best use this DVD? SP: I think this DVD is an
excellent
introduction to the complex question of why Honest Weight isn’t just a
really great
place to shop! At its heart, the Co-op is an educational institution—
bringing
the Capital Region an awareness of the political economy of food and
giving
each of us the opportunity to make a difference in how our food is
produced,
marketed and consumed. I hope everyone at Honest Weight will show this
DVD to
friends and neighbors (and donate copies to schools, churches and other
community organizations) to spread the word about how we can shop and
eat in a
sustainable way that supports our local economy and the environment. EG: Buy a piece of cheese
you’ve never bought
before, sit down with family or friends, play the DVD and eat the
cheese. A
multisensory experience should ensue. Q: What advice would you
give to
aspiring media makers in the Capital District? JM: 90% of success in life is
simply by showing
up and asking questions! |
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