Director: Kum-Kum Bhavnani | USA | Doc | 2013 | 64 mins
Film source: Filmmaker
Sponsor: Blue Bandana Chocolate Maker
Preceded by chocolate tasting reception & cash bar by Blue Bandana
Deep in the rain forests of Grenada, anarchist chocolate-maker Mott Green, a self-described “activist version of Willy Wonka,” operates an unusual chocolate factory that turns out delicious creations unknown to a world saturated with industrially produced cocoa. Solar power, employee shareholding and small-scale antique equipment turn out delicious chocolate in the hamlet of Hermitage, Grenada. Nothing like Chocolate, narrated by Susan Sarandon, tells the moving story of the relentless and headstrong Mott Green, founder of the Grenada Chocolate Company, as he pursued his unique vision to create the best chocolate in the world, from scratch. It exposes the practices and politics of how chocolate has moved worldwide from a sacred plant to corporate blasphemy. Governments around the world, beholden to multi-nationals, sell cocoa for export at the best possible price. Industrial chocolate dominates taste buds and the market. Threatened by boutique producers, such as Grenada Chocolate Company, mega-companies work hard to buy up these small artisans. From currency to candy, chocolate reflects a rich history saturated with sacred ritual, endorphin highs, hip anti-oxidants, exotic sensuality and high quality luxury. Nothing Like Chocolate adds new depth to the stories of chocolate.
The student matinee screening will be introduced by Eric Lampman, founder of Blue Bandana Chocolate Maker, a new local company dedicated to the ideals of the farm-to-bar movement.
