AEC Film Event Explores Chattanooga's Food Deserts
Tickets are still available for AEC's screening of the movie "Food Stamped" on April 18, at 6 PM at Gaining Ground, 55 East Main Street.
Food Stamped is an informative and humorous documentary film following a couple as they attempt to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet on a food stamp budget. Through their adventures they consult with members of U.S. Congress, food justice organizations, nutrition experts, and people living on food stamps to take a deep look at America's broken food system while trying to answer the question "Is it possible to eat healthy on a food stamp diet?"
The documentary won the Jury Feature Prize in the San Francisco Independent Film Festival and Best Documentary in the Lighthouse International Film Festival.
Food Stamped: Farm Bill Scene from Yoav Potash on Vimeo.
After the film, community leaders from Gaining Ground, the Hamilton County STEP ONE program, the Chattanooga Market, and the Chattanooga Area Food Bank will speak about new initiatives and why this is a quality of life, health, and economic issue because food deserts are a growing problem in Chattanooga.
Learn more about food deserts in Chattanooga:
Food Lion closings to expand Chattanooga area 'food deserts'
Planned grocery store to end Westside Chattanooga food desert
New Program Addresses Food Deserts in Chattanooga
Oases for Chattanooga's Food Deserts
Guests are encouraged to bring a potluck dish that can be prepared on a "food stamp budget," typically $1 per person per meal. The film website, http://www.foodstamped.com, offers tips, recipes and even a toolkit for those interested in trying the Food Stamp Challenge themselves.
Tickets are still available and are $10 per person which includes food, drinks and program. Due to limited seating, advanced reservations are encouraged. Call 423-267-1218 or visit BackRowFilms.com.
Due to High Demand, AEC Bringing 2012 Oscar-Nominated ANIMATED Short Films to Chattanooga
The Arts & Education Council (AEC) is bringing the 2012 Oscar-nominated animated short films to Chattanooga on Tuesday, April 10, at 7:00 PM at the Majestic 12 on Broad Street. The two-hour event will feature a screening of "Sunday/Dimanche," "A Morning Stroll," "Wild Life," "The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore," "La Luna," "Skylight (extra film)," "The Hybrid Union," "Nullarbor" and "Amazonia."
Tickets are $9.00 per person and will be sold online ONLY until 3:30 PM Tuesday, April 10. They will NOT be available at the door. Read more about the films and buy tickets at http://www.tugg.com/events/show/365#.T3W6w46aM7C
AEC is organizing the event with the help of a new innovative service called Tugg, Inc. ("Tugg"). Led by Tree of Life producer Nicolas Gonda, Tugg is a collective action web-platform that helps communities host film screenings in their local movie theaters. Individuals and organizations are empowered to select a film, screening time and nearby theater, and then spread the word to their immediate and online community. Once a necessary number of people commit to attending, the event will be confirmed, and Tugg will reserve the theater, manage ticketing and ensure delivery of the film -- allowing the audience to sit back and enjoy the show.
"We facilitate screenings for individuals and organizations, so that films that are neglected from wide distribution can get an opportunity to connect with a theater-going audience," says Brian Parsons of Tugg. "This seems to fit with [AEC's] mission, which is why we feel that the Arts & Education Council and Tugg could work together to create a vibrant film community in Chattanooga."
The Austin-based service officially launched at the South by Southwest Festival in March, when its growing list of partners and its library of hundreds of studio and independent films will be announced. The company's board of advisers includes Terrence Malick, Ben Affleck, and Richard Linklater.
The AEC experienced Tugg's potential first-hand when it successfully sold out of tickets in advance for its first Tugg screening, the live action shorts on March 22, using the power of grassroots, crowd-triggered marketing.
The AEC decided to follow up with the animated short films due to positive feedback and high demand expressed by the audience during the Q&A on March 22. Spectator, David Cranford, said, "I go to most movies and that series was one of the best experiences I have had. I have recruited a lot of people here for the next one."
"As the industry has evolved, the challenge of bringing independent films to a mid-size market like Chattanooga has become increasingly difficult," says AEC Executive Director Susan Robinson. "Due to a variety of factors, most indie films simply will not have a chance to play in our theatres. But what we do have is a strong community of cinephiles who are willing to campaign for the films they want, and for that reason Tugg's concept provides a solution that can really work for Chattanooga."
