Gekaufte Wahrheit - Gentechnik im Magnetfeld des Geldes

Gekaufte Wahrheit - Gentechnik im Magnetfeld des Geldes
Directed by	Bertram Verhaag
Produced by	Bertram Verhaag
Written by	Bertram Verhaag
Music by	Gert Wilden
Edited by	Verena Schönauer
Production company	DENKmal-Film GmbH
Distributed by	DENKmal-Film GmbH
Release dates	2010
Running time	88:07 min
Country	Germany
Language	German

Gekaufte Wahrheit – Gentechnik im Magnetfeld des Geldes ("Scientists Under Attack - Genetic Engineering in the Magnetic Field of Money") is a 2010 German documentary by de. It describes the influence of the biotechnology industry on science and research of genetic engineering.

Description

The 2010 documentary interviewed three international scientists and an attorney, who have been researching different aspects of genetically modified crops, their safety in consumption, use in the fields, socioeconomic consequences of cultivation or their regulation in the US and who arrived at findings critical of genetically modified crop use. It shows how their work has been made difficult and how the US FDA averted long term safety studies.

1. Biochemist Árpád Pusztai who was fired from a British research institution after revealing his research findings to the media about an influence of genetically modified food on rats, the so called Pusztai affair.
2. Andrew Kimbrell of the Center for Food Safety in Washington DC, an attorney who sued FDA in 1998 for its voluntary regulation of GM foods.
3. Nina Fedoroff, a highly decorated US molecular biologist who as as external adviser of the US Department of State participated in the FDA evaluation of a genetically modified tomatoe.
4. Antonio Inácio Andrioli, a Brazilian academic, former technical engineer in agriculture, since 2010 head of the Cerro Largo, Rio Grande do Sul campus of Universidade Federal de Fronteira Sul, focusing on sustainable agriculture.
5. Ignacio Chapela, Mexican born professor at the University of Berkeley who had to sue his university several times to be able to continue his critical teaching. Chapela described details about the BP-Berkeley project, the university's $500 million contract with British Petroleum, with BP's request to influence teaching and research. Part of the campus was sold for construction of a new building. Students who protested by climbing century old trees that were to be cut, were cut off food supplies with 3 rows of barbwire fences and flashlights were set up to prevent them from sleeping. Berkley's response to tree sitters protesting construction caused controversy in the local community.

Press

• "Sehenswert!" (worth seeing)
• The German ARD cultural magazine "titel thesen temperamente" broadcast a 6 minute review about the film, beginning with the sentence "Independent scientist research for us, but the well known biochemist Pusztai was a little bit too independent". Bertram Verhaag was shown stating how Pusztai was sacked, his papers confiscated and prohibited to talk about his work, lest he would lose his pension.
• The Bayerischer Rundfunk reported on its website, that the film recounts the influence of biotechnology companies using the example of Chapela and Pusztai, in a committed, partisan and disputatious manner- or in the words of the producer as a "documentary thriller about biotechnology". The documentary received 8 international prizes, amongst them 3 times for best documentary.
• The 'KinoZeit' reported on its website: "Oscar Wilde knew that A cynic is a man who knows the price of everything, and the value of nothing. Monsanto was not cynical. The company of the year could celebrate its 110th anniversary in 2011. For Bertram Verhaag it was no reason to celebrate. His ambitious documentary shows, where the bought truth has become the currency in the treacherous business between science and multinational agricultural companies."

Also Natural News, Szene Hamburg, Oya and Abendschau critiqued this film.

International awards

• 1st prize at Indie Fest 2010 in the category "Best of Show": "A fascinating documentary about how agrochemical multinational corporations victimize international scientists to prevent them from publishing their scary findings."
• Top 10 place at Kansas International Film Festival
• AT&T Award for environmental conservation and stewardship at the Arpa Film Festival
• The Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism Award
• Accolade Award for Feature Documentary
• Best Feature Documentary at the Maverick Movie Awards, 2010
• Best original score at the Maverick Movie Awards, 2010

The filmmaker was invited to screen the film at 46 international festivals listed at its official website.

External links

• Gekaufte Wahrheit at IMDb
• Official Website in English