FORKS OVER KNIVES
A Feature Film
What has happened to us? Despite the most advanced medical technology in the world, we are sicker than ever by nearly every measure. Two out of every three of us are overweight. Cases of diabetes are exploding, especially amongst our younger population. About half of us are taking at least one prescription drug. Major medical operations have become routine, helping to drive health care costs to astronomical levels. Heart disease, cancer and stroke are the country’s three leading causes of death, even though billions are spent each year to “battle” these very conditions. Millions suffer from a host of other degenerative diseases.
Could it be there’s a single solution to all of these problems? A solution so comprehensive but so utterly straightforward, that it’s mind-boggling that more of us haven’t taken it seriously?
FORKS OVER KNIVES examines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the so-called “diseases of affluence” that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of a pair of pioneering yet under-appreciated researchers, Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.
Dr. Campbell, a nutritional scientist at Cornell University, was concerned in the late 1960’s with producing “high quality” animal protein to bring to the poor and malnourished areas of the third world. While in the Philippines, he made a life-changing discovery: the country’s wealthier children, who were consuming relatively high amounts of animal-based foods, were much more likely to get liver cancer. Dr. Esselstyn, a top surgeon and head of the Breast Cancer Task Force at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic, found that many of the diseases he routinely treated were virtually unknown in parts of the world where animal-based foods were rarely consumed.
These discoveries inspired Campbell and Esselstyn, who didn’t know each other yet, to conduct several groundbreaking studies. One of them took place in China and is still among the most comprehensive health-related investigations ever undertaken. Their research led them to a startling conclusion: degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet. Despite the profound implications of their findings, their work has remained relatively unknown to the public.
The filmmakers travel with Drs. Campbell and Esselstyn on their separate but similar paths, from their childhood farms where they both produced “nature’s perfect food”; to China and Cleveland, where they explored ideas that challenged the established thinking and shook their own core beliefs.
The idea of food as medicine is put to the test. Throughout the film, cameras follow “reality patients” who have chronic conditions from heart disease to diabetes. Doctors teach these patients how to adopt a whole foods plant-based diet as the primary approach to treat their ailments—while the challenges and triumphs of their journeys are revealed.
FORKS OVER KNIVES utilizes state of the art 3-D graphics and rare archival footage. The film features leading experts on health, examines the question “why we don’t know”, and tackles the issue of diet and disease in a way that will have people talking for years.
FORKS OVER KNIVES was filmed all over the United States, and in Canada and China.
T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.
For more than 40 years, Dr. Campbell has been at the forefront of nutrition research. His legacy, the China Project, is considered the most comprehensive study of health and nutrition ever conducted. Dr. Campbell is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor Emeritus of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University and Project Director of the acclaimed China-Oxford-Cornell Diet and Health Project. The study was the culmination of a 20-year partnership of Cornell University, Oxford University and the Chinese Academy of Preventive Medicine.
Dr. Campbell received his master’s degree and Ph.D. from Cornell, and served as a Research Associate at MIT. He spent 10 years on the faculty of Virginia Tech’s Department of Biochemistry and Nutrition before returning to the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell in 1975 where he presently holds his Endowed Chair (now Emeritus).
His principal scientific interests, which began with his graduate training in the late 1950s, has been on the effects of nutritional status on long term health, particularly on the cause of cancer. He has conducted original research both in laboratory experiments and in large-scale human studies; has received more than 70 grant-years of peer-reviewed research funding, mostly from the National Institute of Health, and has served on several grant review panels of multiple funding agencies. Dr. Campbell has lectured extensively, and has authored more than 300 research papers. He and his son, Thomas M. Campbell II, are authors of the bestselling book, The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health.
Dr. T. Colin Campbell is the recipient of several awards, both in research and citizenship, and has actively participated in the development of national and international nutrition policy.
Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., M.D.
Dr. Caldwell B. Esselstyn, Jr., received his B.A. from Yale University and his M.D. from Western Reserve University. In 1956, pulling the No. six oar as a member of the victorious United States rowing team, he was awarded a gold medal at the Olympic Games. He was trained as a surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic and at St. George’s Hospital in London. In 1968, as an Army surgeon in Vietnam, he was awarded the Bronze Star.
Dr. Esselstyn has been associated with the Cleveland Clinic since 1968. During that time, he has served as President of the Staff and as a member of the Board of Governors. He chaired the Clinic’s Breast Cancer Task Force and headed its Section of Thyroid and Parathyroid Surgery.
In 1991, Dr. Esselstyn served as President of the American Association of Endocrine Surgeons. That same year he organized the first National Conference on the Elimination of Coronary Artery Disease, which was held in Tucson, Arizona. In 1997, he chaired a follow-up conference, the Summit on Cholesterol and Coronary Disease, which brought together more than 500 physicians and health-care workers in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. In April, 2005, Dr. Esselstyn became the first recipient of the Benjamin Spock Award for Compassion in Medicine. He received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Association in 2009.
His scientific publications number over 150. “The Best Doctors in America” 1994-1995 published by Woodward and White cites Dr. Esselstyn’s surgical expertise in the categories of endocrine and breast disease. In 1995 he published his bench mark long-term nutritional research on arresting and reversing coronary artery disease in severely ill patients. That same study was updated at 12 years making it one of the longest longitudinal studies of its type. It is most compelling, as no compliant patients have sustained disease progression. Today, 20 years later compliant patients continue to thrive.
Dr. Esselstyn and his wife, Ann Crile Esselstyn, have followed a plant-based diet for more than 20 years. They work together to counsel patients both in Cleveland, where they live, and in summer at the farm in upstate New York where Dr. Esselstyn grew up. Dr. Esselstyn concentrates on the medical details, and Ann focuses on healthy foods and how to prepare them.
Neal Barnard, M.D.
Adjunct associate professor of medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine; founder and president of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; author of Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes, and others.
Junshi Chen, Ph.D.
Senior Research Professor, Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China
Connie B. Diekman, MEd, RD, FADA
Director of University Nutrition, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, and former President of the American Dietetic Association
David Klurfeld, Ph.D.
National Program Leader, Human Nutrition, USDA
Matthew Lederman, M.D., and Alona Pulde, M.D.
Physicians, Authors, Keep It Simple, Keep It Whole: Your Guide to Optimum Health, and Founders of Exsalus Health and Wellness Center, Los Angeles, California
Doug Lisle, Ph.D.
Psychologist, Co-Author, The Pleasure Trap, and Director of Research, TrueNorth Health Center, Santa Rosa, California
Terry Mason, M.D.
Commissioner, Department of Public Health, Chicago, Illinois
John McDougall, M.D.
Physician, founder of Dr. McDougall’s Health and Medical Center, Santa Rosa, California; author of The McDougall Plan, and others.
Pam Popper, N.D.
Founder and Executive Director of the Wellness Forum, Columbus, Ohio
Mac Danzig
A mixed martial artist and Ultimate Fighting star, Mac has held several world titles. In 2007 he won the competition reality program The Ultimate Fighter 6 on SpikeTV.
Rip Esselstyn
Rip Esselstyn, son of Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, was a collegiate All-American swimmer. After competing professionally in triathlons for 10 years, Rip joined the Austin fire department in 1997. Rip is author of The Engine 2 Diet.
Ruth Heidrich
Ruth is a six-time Ironman Triathlon finisher who has won more than 900 medals in races around the world, including more than 60 marathons. Now in her 70s, Ruth was diagnosed with breast cancer in her 40s.
Brian Wendel, Creator and Executive Producer
Brian Wendel had a long-time interest in nutrtion and health. In the summer of 2008, he read The China Study, by T. Colin Campbell and realized that the scientific case that a whole foods plant-based diet could prevent—and even reverse—disease was greater than he had ever imagined. This concept deserved a “seat at the table” in the national discussion. Brian decided the most effective way to bring this message to a broad audience was by feature film. His vision for the film was that it be based on the science—and at the same time, provide a moving experience by exploring personal stories and historical elements. Brian recruited a veteran award-winning production team and spent more than a year producing FORKS OVER KNIVES. Brian has worked in real estate for almost 15 years, and is a partner in an investment and management firm. FORKS OVER KNIVES is his first feature film.
Lee Fulkerson, Writer and Director
Lee Fulkerson has written, produced, directed or supervised nearly 170 hours of documentary programming, and has won 19 international awards for his work. These include the prestigious CINE SPECIAL JURY AWARD for Best Broadcast Historical Program of 2003, network or cable, awarded for his pilot episode of the series, THE COLOR OF WAR. Most recently Lee wrote SEVEN SIGNS OF THE APOCALYPSE, a two-hour documentary special for the History Channel. Previously, he was Executive Producer and head writer of the seven-hour series SHOWDOWN: AIR COMBAT for the Discovery Military Channel. Lee was the Series Producer of the 17-hour THE COLOR OF WAR series and the 35-hour THE GREAT SHIPS series for the History Channel. He wrote, produced and directed the 90-minute special THE CRASH OF FLIGHT 191 for the History Channel, and co-wrote THE LONG MARCH, a two-hour special for History International. Lee also wrote or produced 11 episodes of the Biography series for A&E, including programs on MICHELANGELO, GEORGE WASHINGTON and BENJAMIN FRANKLIN. In the realm of fiction, Lee co-wrote the screen story Ascent in the television drama series THE DEAD ZONE for the USA Television Network.
John Corry, Producer
John Corry’s feature film credits include Universal’s THE RUNDOWN, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS and THE FACE OF EVIL: REINHARD HEIDRICH. John has produced over 200 documentary programs, most recently THE WILD YAK PATROL for Animal Planet and THE LONG MARCH for History International. He created and supervised a number of popular long-running documentary television series including SAFARI TRACKS for FOX in syndication, THE COLOR OF WAR and SWORN TO SECRECY for the History Channel, CELEBRITY WINGS for Discovery Networks and WEAPONS AT WAR for A&E Network. John recently produced several celebrity narrated short films for IFAW (the International Fund for Animal Welfare), campaigns on WHALE HUNTING, THE CANADIAN SEAL HUNT, COMPANION ANIMAL RESCUES and KENYA’S TSAVO WILDLIFE SANCTUARY. His three-hour television special THE LAST DAYS OF WWII was nominated for an Emmy and his acclaimed all-color WWII series THE COLOR OF WAR was recognized with the CINE SPECIAL JURY AWARD as the Best Broadcast Historical Program of 2003, network or cable.
Allison Boon, Co-Producer
Allison Boon began working on documentaries in 2003 as an Associate Producer on the long-running TRUE HOLLYWOOD STORY series at E! Networks. Allison went on to Actuality Productions’ award-winning History Channel series MODERN MARVELS. Within a year, she became Director of Research and helped develop over 100 hours of programming for networks like History Channel, National Geographic and Bravo. She began writing and producing MODERN MARVEL episodes in 2007 including MEASURE IT, HALLOWEEN TECH, TRAPS and IT CAME FROM OUTER SPACE. That same year Allison joined the field team on Universal’s breakout comedy feature BRUNO.
