In the year since he organized and hosted the 2012 Deconstructing Dinner film festival, Nelson’s Jon Steinman has spent a lot of time of the road.
He’s been all around North America, camera crew in tow, interviewing farmers, foodies and other experts for the Deconstucting Dinner television series, about various issues that arise as a result of industrial agriculture.
The first episode of the series — called “Bringing Home the Bread,” which focuses on wheat — will have its world premiere at the 2013 Deconstructing Dinner film festival that kicks off Thursday.
Though the episode is only 24 minute long, it covers a lot of ground.
“We talk about how, for the past 50 years the breeding of wheat has been specifically for a large, global food system,” Steinman explained. “The breeding of these varieties has resulted in lower nutrition content in wheat, as well as the reduction in the types of flavours you can get.”
In the episode, Steinman talks to people who are working to reverse that trend. He meets a farmer in Washington State who’s growing heritage varieties of wheat, and a chef in Seattle who talks about the superior taste of his locally sourced wheat. There are also interviews with members of the Kootenay Grain Share community supported agriculture project who deliver wheat from Creston to Nelson by sailboat each fall.
The episode won’t be officially released until September, when the six-episode series is set to air on the Canadian cable channel iChannel. It will be released free online, as well as on DVD.
“The film festival audience is getting to see it well before the rest of the world,” Steinman said.
After the “Bringing Home the Bread” screening, Steinman plans to show four, five-minute webisodes of extra content that didn’t fit into episode. He’s also requested a copy of a film made by a local student at Wildflower school about her experience sailing with the Kootenay Grain Share.
Steinman and many of the local people seen in the episode will be at the screening and will take questions from the audience at the end of the show.
The world premiere of “Bringing Home the Bread” is Friday, April 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Capitol Theatre as part of the Deconstructing Dinner film festival, which is happening Thursday through Saturday at a different venue each night. The festival program is below.
2013 Deconstructing Dinner Film Festival
Thursday, April 4 (The Royal on Baker)
6:30 p.m. doors
Oyster and Perogy Bar
Music by Clinton Swanson +1
7:30 p.m.
The Mud and the Blood & Go Shuck Yourself
Perogy!
9 p.m.
Smokin' Fish
Friday, April 5 (Capitol Theatre)
6:30 p.m.
Deconstructing Dinner: Reconstructing Our Food System (Bringing Home the Bread)
Artisan Baker
8 p.m.
Hungry for Change
Saturday, April 6 (Civic Theatre)
2 p.m.
Sushi: The Global Catch
3:30 p.m.
Bitter Seeds
7 p.m.
Big Boys Gone Banans!*
9 p.m.
The Chocolate Farmer & Local Chocolate Farmer Showcase