The gritty, R-rated drama “Joe,” starring Nicolas Cage, and the PG-rated documentary “Fed Up” open June 27 at the Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center. Both films play for one week.
A gripping mix of friendship, violence and redemption erupts in “Joe,” an adaptation of Larry Brown’s novel, which was celebrated for its grit and deeply moving core. The director of the film, David Gordon Green, also directed “Pineapple Express,” “Prince Avalanche,” “Undertow” and “All the Real Girls.” The film brings Academy Award-winner Nicolas Cage back to his indie roots as ex-con Joe Ransom, who is just trying to dodge his instincts for trouble, until he meets a hard-luck kid played by Tye Sheridan.
“Fed Up” upends the conventional wisdom of why we gain weight and how to lose it. Focusing on childhood obesity, the film unearths the dirty secret that the food industry doesn’t want people to know: far more people are sick from what we are eating than anyone has ever realized. The film discusses that only 30 percent of people suffering from diet-related diseases are actually obese, while 70 percent of people, who are not obese, are facing the same consequences.
Following a group of children for more than two years, director Stephanie Soechtig achieves a profound intimacy with them as they document their uphill battles to follow the conventional wisdom, “diet and exercise,” in order to live healthier, fuller lives. In riveting interviews with the country’s leading experts, “Fed Up” lays bare a decades-long misinformation campaign orchestrated by Big Food and aided by the United States.
A movie talk about “Fed Up” is 2:30 p.m. June 29 and follows the 1 p.m. screening of the film.
Admission to the screening is at regular Ross prices, but discussion after the movie will be free and open to the public. Friends of the Ross are sponsoring the movie talk series.
Guest speakers include:
Katie Holle, a certified holistic health coach through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Holle is a mother of two children and a testament to healthy lifestyle changes. She has battled weight, anxiety, depression and a heart condition most of her life. After losing 55 pounds and more than 10 percent body fat, she has a new outlook on life.
Dr. Bob Rauner, a family physician for 12 years. Rauner left clinical practice to work full time on population health projects in 2010. He studied how to systematically improve the health of Nebraskans.
Amber Pankonin, a registered dietitian and licensed medical nutrition therapist in Lincoln. Pankonin works as a nutrition communications consultant, freelance writer and adjunct instructor at UNL. Pankonin also serves on several boards, including the Nebraska Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the Nutrition Entrepreneurs Dietetic Practice Group.
Eddie Lankas, a licensed mental health practitioner, addiction recovery expert and professional coach. Currently, Lankas coaches in the areas of food addiction, binge eating disorder and compulsive overeating.
