In the award-winning documentary Modified (87 minutes | Canada | 2017), the filmmaker and her mother embark on a personal and poignant investigative journey to find out why genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are not labeled on food products in the United States and Canada, despite being labeled in 64 countries around the world.
Shot over a span of ten years, the film explores the impacts of genetically engineering our food, exposing the cozy relationship between the agribusiness industry and our governments. The film is anchored in the intimate story of the filmmaker’s relationship to her mom, an organic gardener, seed saver, and food activist who battled cancer while the film’s production was underway. Interweaving the personal and the political, the film uses family video archives, animations, and mouth-watering vignettes from the filmmaker’s award-winning PBS cooking show to create a visual celebration of homegrown food and family legacy. The film debunks the myth that GMOs are needed to feed the world and makes a compelling plea for a more sustainable and transparent food system.