The Grab
Directed by:
Gabriela Cowperthwaite
2022
102 minutes
An investigative journalist uncovers the money, influence, and alarming rationale behind covert efforts to control the most vital resource on the planet.
SCREENING
Friday, October 27, 2023 at 1:00 PM
ABOUT THE FILM
The Grab reveals a new world order in which global power will be held by those who control food instead of oil. This explosive exposé combines hard-hitting journalism with compelling character-driven storytelling, taking you around the world to reveal one of the world’s biggest and least exposed threats.
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Without publicity, governments, wealthy investors, and private security forces are dividing up the world’s last remaining food and water resources. Communities are forced to stand by as their aquifers are drained, and land they have owned for generations is sold away. Purchasers aim to control the natural resources that are needed for the world’s population to survive in the future, Investigative reporters have discovered that this is occurring on a global scale. One current example is Russia’s attack on Ukraine’s grain exports, using food access as a geopolitical tool.
The Grab
ABOUT THE DIRECTOR
Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Gabriela Cowperthwaite, born in 1971, is an accomplished American filmmaker renowned for her documentaries and feature films that often spotlight social, cultural, and environmental issues stemming from real-life events. A testament to her influential work is her groundbreaking documentary, "Blackfish" (2013), which delves into the treatment of orcas in captivity and instigated significant changes in SeaWorld's practices.
Cowperthwaite's multicultural upbringing saw her born to a Brazilian psychoanalyst mother and an American real estate developer father. Raised in Denver and speaking Portuguese as her primary language, Gabriela embraced sports, particularly soccer. Her educational pursuits took her to Occidental College in Los Angeles, where she earned a degree in political science. Subsequently, she attained an MA in Political Science from the University of Southern California.
Embracing her educational foundation, Cowperthwaite delved into the world of documentary-making, collaborating with esteemed channels like National Geographic, ESPN, Animal Planet, and more. 2010 marked a significant year for Gabriela, with the release of "City Lax: An Urban Lacrosse Story", an independent feature documentary highlighting the transformative power of sports in urban environments.Â
However, it was 2013's "Blackfish" that catapulted her into global recognition. Premiering at Sundance and broadcasted on CNN, the documentary explored the tragic incident involving an orca named Tilikum at SeaWorld. The film's profound impact, termed "The Blackfish Effect", led to SeaWorld ending its orca breeding program and performances.
Cowperthwaite's storytelling prowess is not limited to documentaries. 2017 saw her venture into drama with "Megan Leavey", based on real-life events from the Iraq War. In 2019, she directed "Our Friend", featuring star actors and based on the touching story of a couple grappling with a terminal illness.
Earning accolades like a BAFTA nomination and an International Documentary Association Award nomination, Gabriela's body of work speaks for itself. Beyond her professional life, she resides in Los Angeles with her family, grounding her vast experiences in the love and support of her husband and two sons.
CREDITS
Director
Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Writer
Gabriela Cowperthwaite
Producers
Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Producer (p.g.a.)
Blye Pagon Faust, Producer
Nathan Halverson, Producer (p.g.a.)
JoeBill Muñoz, Associate Producer
Mallory Newman, Associate Producer
Amanda Pike, Producer (p.g.a.)
David Ritsher, Line Producer
Nicole Rocklin, Producer
Emma Schwartz, Associate Producer
Yinuo ShiArchival, Producer | Associate Producer
Executive Producers
Dan Cogan
Geralyn White Dreyfous
John Driscoll, Co-Executive Producer
Lauren Driscoll, Co-Executive Producer
David Fialkow
Nina Fialkow
Doree Friedman
Anil Godhwani
Lauren Haber, Co-Executive Producer
Kelsey Koenig, Co-Executive Producer
Jan McAdoo
Debbie McLeod
Patty Quillin
Jenny Raskin
Rick Rosenthal
Christa Scharfenberg
Nancy Stephens
Lessing Stern
Jeff Ubben
Laurie Ubben
Composer
Jeff Beal
Cinematographer
Jonathan Ingalls
Editor
Davis Coombe
Sound Department
Jacob Bloomfield-Misrach, Supervising Sound Editor, Re-recording Mixer
Anthony Di Marco, Dialogue Editor
Phil Hartley, Sound Recordist
Michel Marrano Holbrook, Audio Post Supervisor
Isaac Olsen, Dialogue Editor, Re-recording Mixer
William Sammons, Sound Effects Editor
Visual Effects
Julie Henninger, Visual Effects Artist
Tracy K. Hindman, Motion Graphics Project Manager
Breece Kelsey, Motion Designer
Aaron Lenius, Motion Designer
Chris Probst, Motion Design Intern
Matt Schultz, Motion Graphics Creative Director
Shawna Schultz, Motion Graphics Executive Producer
Ryan Scobey, Motion Graphics Producer
Eric Sinha, Motion Designer
Shannon Wilkerson, Motion Designer
Camera and Electrical Department
Emma Schwartz, Additional Cinematography
Editorial Department
David A. Davidson, Colorist
Sim T. Davidson, Post-production Coordinator
Tessa Malsam, Assistant Editor
David Ritsher, Post-production Coordinator