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Voices of Praise for Environmental Food Documentary “What’s For Dinner?”


Scene from "What's for Dinner?" (directed by Jian Yi)

Scene from “What’s for Dinner?” (directed by Jian Yi)


One of the newest additions to the dGenerate Films Collection, What’s for Dinner? is a short documentary that provides a unique look into the rapidly growing consumption of meat in China and the increasing industrialization of agriculture. Produced by the environmental organization Brighter Green, the film examines the impact that industrial food production and consumption is having on sustainability, public health, food security, climate change and animal welfare.

The film has already made an impact in screenings around the world by opening audiences’ eyes to the stark new realities of food in China and its implications on the rest of the globe. The following testimonials were collected among esteemed authors, scholars and activists in the arenas of public health, environmental studies, East Asian studies, and agricultural and animal studies.

What’s for Dinner? is part of the dGenerate Films collection, and is available for order at Icarus Films. Find out more about the film.

To organize a screening of the film in your area, contact Icarus Films at rentals (at) icarusfilms (dot) com.

“What’s For Dinner? documents in gripping detail China’s headlong transition to industrial animal agriculture and the tragic impact it has on animals, public health, and the environment. The film triumphs in vividly highlighting the inexorable economic logic driving the consolidation of pigs into nascent CAFOs that are burgeoning across the countryside to meet China’s growing demand for meat. Alongside an empathetic but critical portrayal of China’s growing consumer preference for meat, “What’s for Dinner?” also captures the rise of a vegan/vegetarian undercurrent that’s emerging to counter the trend toward factory farming… The film would be an ideal supplement to any course exploring the environmental, economic, and ethical implications of animal agriculture.“ – James McWilliams, PhD, Author

“What’s for Dinner? brings into sharp contrast the China of today and the China of twenty years ago. It is an easily absorbable film that can be used as a learning tool for any student interested in the potential impacts of meat consumption on the earth writ large, including chronic diseases and the environment. It also highlights the influence of Western culture and economic affluence on eating patterns across the world, a phenomenon that will be of interest to anyone studying or teaching global public health. A highly recommended film.” – Amy Joyce, Associate Director, Public Health Practice, NYU Global Institute of Public Health

“What’s For Dinner is an urgent and compelling documentary about the globalization of industrial meat production. It documents the consequences of rising meat consumption in China, detailing its impact on health, labor, animal welfare, and the environment. I can attest to the pedagogical and political power of this film.” – Maria Elena Garcia, Director, Comparative History of Ideas Program, University of Washington

“What’s For Dinner? is a powerful teaching tool. The film is engaging for lay audiences and sophisticated enough for experts in related fields — I would highly recommend to both.” – Mark Foran, MD, MPH, NYU School of Medicine

“We often read about the environmental and health impacts of food production in the US, but what about in rapidly growing China? What’s For Dinner? introduces us to the challenges of large-scale animal agriculture in China. It surveys the “big picture” – food shortages, industrialization, and environmental impact – through a set of clear, engaging interviews and personal stories. This is an excellent film for environmental studies or other students interested in the origins and impacts posed by animal agriculture in a global context.” –Christopher P. Schlottmann, Associate Director of Environmental Studies, New York University

“What’s For Dinner?” delivers an insightful presentation of the many challenges posed by China’s expanding animal agriculture.” – Peter J. Li, Associate Professor of East Asian Politics, University of Houston-Downtown

“I used What’s For Dinner? for the first time in my Animals in Commodities class in the Canisius College Anthrozoology Masters program last semester… The students found the film very useful in helping us to look at the connections between meat production and consumption, status, and globalization.” – Margo DeMello, Professor of Sociology, Cultural Studies and Anthropology, Canisius College and Central New Mexico Community College

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