GMO OMG has all the makings of a crowd favorite documentary as Director Jeremy Seifert, a young dad concerned with the eating habits of his wife and their three beautiful young kids, goes on a quest to discover what exactly is the make-up of his family’s daily eating habits. More specifically, Seifert targets GMOs, scientifically known as Genetically Modified Organisms.
“GMO? What’s that?” This question is asked to random people on the Venice Beach boardwalk within the first 10 minutes of the film, an obvious setup to show just how clueless mainstream America really is about what we’re eating. Although slightly insulting, this is the perfect segway into Jeremy’s mission.
Although not as captivating as other food documentaries, it will likely appeal to the eco-friendly, food conscious hipsters.
Believing that the American food system is destructive and unhealthy, Jeremy investigates how the loss of seeds can affect our entire diet and ultimately, the health of the planet. While it doesn’t rely heavily on the nutritional facts of GMOs, Jeremy attacks from the ethical side of our global food supply. Apparently, GMOs are in nearly 80% of processed foods and with the suggestion to just “Eat organic” and “Avoid GMOs”, eating healthy feels just plain overwhelming. An effort to provide more balance between the technical, scientific side and a more humanistic understanding would have appealed to a larger audience.
A trip to Haiti reveals just how valuable seeds are to the chain of life and how the sustainability of our planet depends on them. The obvious bad guys are the corporations that take over the farmer’s seeds every year and release chemical toxins onto the food we ultimately eat. The companies Jeremy profiles are Monsanto (Agent Orange) and Dow (Napalm), agrochemical corporations that are trying to control everything we consume (according to Seifert).
Songs by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros open the film, adding to its “indie cred.” Long sweeping shots make up most of the visual; whether they’re cornfields or a Haitian village, the cinematography in the film is definitely worth noting. GMO OMG, although not as captivating as other food documentaries, will likely appeal to the eco-friendly, food conscious hipsters and others looking for ways to better the environment and themselves.
