FOOD Inc., directed by Robert Kenner, emphasises the multiple issues arising from modern food production. This is evident through, the detachment of society from the food it consumes, the great control of large companies over food production and the cheaper cost of processed food compared to fresh produce, effectively persuading the viewer through the use of appeal to authority, statistics and personal experience. Through this, the director persuades the viewers to start eating healthy and make the right choices when selecting groceries that encourage small companies to grow. This is further reinforced by documentary techniques, particularly, voiceover narration, indirect interview, juxtaposition, archival footage, graphics and visual metaphors, …show more content…
Throughout the documentary, Kenner refers to Michael Pollan, author of Omnivore’s Dilemma, to emphasise the separation due to the agrarian façade, emphasised in the documentary. This is evident when Pollan states that, “the idea that you need to write a book telling people where their food comes from is just a sign how far removed we have become”, through voiceover narration. Kenner further persuades the viewer to buy local produce through voiceover narration of authority figure, Eric Schlosser, author of Fast Food Nation. This façade created by large companies, exhibited in the documentary, has drawn “a veil” between consumers and the truth, and as Schlosser states, “That’s the way the industry wants it”. Furthermore, authority figure Joel Salatin, who owns Polyface Farms, claims that food companies no longer care about the consumer, but only about how fast they can produce food, persuading the viewer that there is a hidden truth. Through this, Kenner uses juxtaposition by presenting Salatin’s organic farm and large industrial farms, whilst Salatin states, “Everything we’ve done in modern industrial agriculture is to grow it faster, fatter, bigger, cheaper.” The detachment of society is effectively portrayed through the utilisation authority figures that persuade the viewers to change their eating habits and further develop the main