Forks Over Knives – The Official Movie Website

Release Date Set

It’s with great pride and excitement that we announce that we have selected the date of Friday, March 11, 2011 as our opening date.  We will be opening Forks Over Knives in numerous cities across the country.  Beginning this September, we will have event-oriented advance screenings in many locations leading up to the release.  Information on cities and show information for both the release and advance screening program will be available on the website. 

We have received positive and supportive reaction to Forks Over Knives through our various screenings and outreach.  We believe the release date of March 11, 2011 with the advance screening program will provide us with the proper time and tools to reach as wide and varied audience as possible. 

We continue to be grateful for all the support you have shown for the film.

Film Release Update

The past few months have been very exciting as many people have expressed a great deal of enthusiasm for Forks Over Knives.  Your support means more than you can imagine.  And thank you to everyone who participated in test screenings and provided feedback.  Your thoughtful input guided us in editing and has led to many positive changes.

The distribution plan is taking shape.  We anticipate rolling the film out in several cities in November, which will include an east and west coast premiere.  Given a strong turnout, we will expand to dozens of additional markets.  Please stay tuned for the details, which we will post as soon as they are finalized. 

In the meantime, there will be special advance screenings.  On June 23^rd, the film will be shown at the E Street Theater in Washington D.C, as it takes center stage in a fundraiser for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM).  This sold out event includes a Q&A with PCRM founder Neal Barnard, M.D., Michael Greger, M.D., Gene Baur, and Bruce Friedrich.

On July 26, there will be a dinner and screening at the Bryn Mawr historic theatre in Philadelphia.  Special guests include Engine 2 Diet author Rip Esselstyn and Wellness Forum founder Dr. Pam Popper, both of whom appear in Forks Over Knives.  For more information, visit http://www.brynmawrfilm.org/films/?id=38 . 

Again, thank you for your support.

FOK Journey: Part I, A Film is Born

In a series called “FOK Journey”, I share how Forks Over Knives went from an idea to feature film, and include anecdotes from behind the scenes.

In the summer of 2008, I was visiting a friend and noticed The China Study, by Dr. T. Colin Campbell, on his bookshelf.  I was aware of the book, the positive reviews it was receiving and the author’s interesting background.  I was intrigued that a leading nutritional biochemist, with roots on a dairy farm and in traditional academia, would change his long-held views over the course of a remarkable career.

My friend could see I was anxious to read the book.  So although he hadn’t read it himself, he loaned it to me.  By this time, I had long been interested in nutrition and had come to the thinking that degenerative diseases were for the most part avoidable, and probably even reversible, through a healthy plant-based diet and lifestyle.  Making a convincing case for it, though, was elusive.

For many years, I felt helpless by the suffering of loved ones and frustrated that their doctors would indicate surgery and medicine as the best and only answer.  I had a different way of thinking.  While these loved ones were interested in what I had to say, I wasn’t a doctor, so my thoughts didn’t carry the weight to make a difference.     

After reading The China Study, life would change.  In his book, Dr. Campbell wrote about his own peer-reviewed research, which was remarkable in its breadth and scope.  Campbell also wrote about the abundance of reliable research that shared a consistent conclusion.  I came to realize that there was persuasive evidence about diet and health–and it was beyond anything I had imagined.  Further, the case for what worked was simple, clear, and consistent.  This was big news—that  for some reason was not reaching the public. 

Many of us and our loved ones are medicated, sick and dying prematurely.  Due to skyrocketing health care costs and an aging population, it is burdening our economy in an unsustainable way.  This is arguably the issue of our time.  Yet we have before us what could be a real solution to a real problem—if only we would take it seriously.

I knew I wanted to dedicate my life to this subject.  Ultimately a feature film seemed like the most effective medium to bring this hopeful message to as many people as possible—and to do so without interference.  A feature film would also be an effective way to deliver what this concept needed: moving stories with impactful visual images.  It is one thing, for example, to read about a heart disease patient who likely would have passed away twenty years ago.  It’s something different to see that person before you, alive and well, sharing  their story.

With these concepts in mind, Forks Over Knives was born.

Viewing FOK with Featured Researcher, Dr. T. Colin Campbell

Last week I had the honor of screening Forks Over Knives for Dr. Colin Campbell, one of the main featured researchers of the film, and his wife, Karen Campbell.

Knowing that they were coming to southern California for speaking engagements, we all thought it would be great to watch it together during their visit here. Previously, Colin and Karen had viewed unfinished film segments and were familiar with the script. But this was the first time seeing the full film with music and everything intact.

Colin and Karen were enthusiastic by what they saw. The screening and their reaction was another memorable moment in the journey. It was obviously memorable also for the ten or so people that were in attendance.

For many years, Dr. Campbell’s groundbreaking research did not come to the forefront and make it into the public domain. Dr. Campbell struggled to persuade his academic colleagues thinking that the convincing evidence he found would advance this concept into the world. He finally concluded, after trying for decades, that the deck was stacked. Important colleagues were too conflicted by outside interests and no amount of evidence would make a difference.

Fortunately, Dr. Campbell decided to take his findings directly to the public and joined up with his son, Thomas, to write The China Study. The booked has changed many lives, and has put forth a new kind of thinking on nutrition. Four years later, Forks Over Knives, which covers a lot of Dr. Campbell’s research, is set for release.

I have often wondered how things might have been different by now if some of Dr. Campbell’s key colleagues—particularly those involved in shaping public policy and thinking—had embraced his research. However, it is not unusual that revolutionary ideas are met with resistance and take years to become part of public life. And like other great ideas, I believe this one will gain wide acceptance—even if it takes more time than it really should.

The private screening with Colin and Karen, it seemed, was emotional for everyone. We were all aware of the decades-long struggle the two had undergone to get to this point. I believe in the next few years, the Campbells will see the ideas they struggled to advance finally take hold in a significant way. The movement and shift in thinking will be undeniable. On the ground, this will mean more and more people living healthier lives. While delayed, this is the payoff they had always wanted.

Health Care Thoughts and Film Update

Eleven days have passed since we launched the film website and trailer.  I am overwhelmed by the initial response: more than 10,000 views on YouTube and the number of Facebook fans has risen five times. Thank you for your support—and your continuing efforts to share the word will help us get this message to the public.

I heard Bill Maher say not too long ago that the health care debate is missing one thing: a discussion of health.  It surprises me how little we hear about it.  The focus is mostly on who should pay for it.  It seems if we can address the health issue, it would substantially lessen the stress on the “who pays” question.

The message of Drs. Campbell, Esselstyn and others is that there is strong evidence that a diet based in whole plant foods can be used to address the health problem in a significant way.  Are they on to something?

I have been persuaded over the past several years by this concept.  I think many other people will be too the more they learn about it.  And for those who aren’t sure, will they agree that at least it should be incorporated into the discussion?

In other news, we finished the presentation version of the film this week.  After more than a year of production, it’s great seeing the film’s components—the visuals, graphics, music, sound effects, etc.—together as one.  This version will be used in test screenings, which will be followed by high-definition and final editing.

We are shifting from a production to a marketing phase.  I will miss the day-to-day production, but am excited for the journey ahead.  Working on the film has been the best experience of my professional career.  I’m looking forward to sharing Forks Over Knives, and hope many people will find it informative, entertaining, and helpful to their lives.