Whole Foods ‘Do Something Reel' Film Festival Launches April 2011

Natural and organic foods retailer Whole Foods Market will launch its nationwide "Whole Foods Market Do Something Reel" Film Festival April 1, 2011, and bring it to 70 cities across the U.S. in celebration of Earth Month.

The film festival is a collection of six character-driven films that focus on food, environmental issues, and everyday people with a vision of making a world of difference. "Through our Whole Foods Market Do Something Reel Film Festival we want to raise awareness of environmental and food issues, and support filmmakers who are creating films that inspire people to question the impact our choices have on our health, body and environment," said Walter Robb, co-CEO of Whole Foods. "We see film as an inspirational medium that can spark an active dialogue and encourage people to take action locally."

Additionally, Austin, Texas-based Whole Foods is leveraging the festival to create a grant program for filmmakers in the green film genre. A portion of all tickets sales from the "Whole Foods Market Do Something Reel" Film Festival will go towards a film production and development grant that will encourage filmmakers to continue making stories about the environment and the choices we make as consumers. Grants will be awarded for filmmakers at varying stages of development - from conception through completion.

Unlike larger destination festivals, the "Whole Foods Markets Do Something Reel" Film Festival will be held in movie theaters across the country in communities near Whole Foods stores. The festival will also feature filmmaker discussions, either in person or via Skype.

The six films chosen for the inaugural film festival support the company's mission and cover a broad range of provocative topics. They include:

• "Bag It!" – In this highly entertaining and eye-opening film, filmmaker Suzan Beraza follows Jeb Berrier as he navigates our plastic-reliant world. Jeb is not a radical environmentalist, but an average American who decides to take a closer look at our cultural love affair with plastics. www.bagitmovie.com
• "Lunch Line" – This film from filmmakers Mike Graziano and Ernie Park follows six kids from one of the toughest neighborhoods in Chicago as they set out to fix school lunch – and wind up at the White House. Their unlikely journey parallels the dramatic transformation of school lunch from a patchwork of local anti-hunger efforts to a national feeding program. www.lunchlinefilm.com
• "On Coal River" – A transcendent narrative on the human costs of coal and strip-mining, this film from filmmakers Francine Cavanaugh and Adams Woods follows the journey of a former coal miner and his neighbors, residents of Coal River Valley in West Virginia, as they transform from “victims” to informed experts on mountaintop removal. www.oncoalriver.com
• "PLANEAT" –From filmmakers Shelley Lee Davis and Or Shlomi, this movie tells the story of the scientists, farmers, and chefs tackling one of the greatest problems of our age: Western culture's love affair with meat and dairy. Through an personal culinary journey we discover the wide range of medical and environmental benefits of eating vegetables. www.planeat.tv
• "Urban Roots" – Filmmaker Mark MacInnis tells the story of a group of dedicated Detroiters working tirelessly to fulfill their vision for locally grown, sustainably farmed food in a city cut off from real food and limited to processed fast food. www.urbanrootsamerica.com
• "Vanishing of the Bees" – Narrated by Oscar-nominated actress Ellen Page, this cautionary tale from filmmakers George Langworthy and Maryam Heinen explores the mystery of the disappearing bees and the links to industrial farming, as well as our attitude toward the natural world. Starring in this real-life drama is a commercial bee farmer who sounded the alarm when his bee colonies collapsed and his business was decimated. www.vanishingbees.com

As part of the Festival, Whole Foods Market will also stream the documentary, "Dig It" on www.dosomethingreel.com on Earth Day, April 22. This call-to-action film features the members of the band Pearl Jam as they participate in tree-planting actions and beautification efforts in New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco.

The festival is presented in association with Applegate Farms and RiceSelect™, with additional support from EVOL Burritos, Food Should Taste Good, and Siggi's.

For additional information about the festival, a complete schedule of events in each of the 70 markets and details about the grant program, please visit www.dosomethingreel.com.