Independent film series growing at Seaside REP

SEASIDE — A series of independently produced documentaries is being presented by two local organic businesses. Raw & Juicy Organic Juice Bar and Cafe and Twin Oaks Farm have collaborated in sponsoring Growing Local: the Naked Truth about Your Food.

The film series puts a spotlight on what goes into food and supports the idea that eating and living organically and sustainably is necessary for personal health and the health of the planet.

Raw & Juicy owner Jennifer Kuntz and Twin Oaks Farm proprietor Renee Savary share a common interest: They are both passionate about eating healthy food. And for these two entrepreneurs, eating healthy food means eating food that has no chemicals and no ingredients that you can’t pronounce.

Visit Central Square in Seaside and you can’t miss the 1966 Safari Airstream where Kuntz serves raw and organic juices, smoothies, snacks and meals. And any patron of the Seaside Farmers Market on Saturday mornings knows that Savary’s Twin Oaks Farm stand offers certified organic, pastured, soy free eggs, chickens and ducks, along with homemade preserves.

“The concept of eating organic is slowly catching on,” says Savary, “but we wanted to do more to educate the public about eating healthy, great-tasting, real food.”

So, on a beautiful Saturday morning in March, the two sat together at a Raw & Juicy café table and developed the idea of Growing Local: the Naked Truth about Your Food.

“We were aware of several documentaries which are fantastic but we knew that many people had not been able to see them. All the films have been produced independently of big food corporations and big ag(ricultural) businesses and most have not been available through mass media.”

Kuntz took the idea of Growing Local: the Naked Truth about Your Food to the Seaside Repertory Theater, commonly known as the REP. They liked the idea and offered the use of their Meeting Hall Theater in downtown Seaside.

The films are shown monthly and are free to the public on a first come-first served basis for up to 70 people. Kuntz and Savary ask that attendees consider making a donation of $10 to the REP to support their mission of providing high-quality, professional productions to Northwest Florida. For more information on the REP, visit seasiderep.org.

The first film in the series, “Fresh” by Ana Sofia Joanes, was shown on June 29.

The next film is “A Chemical Reaction”, scheduled for 7:30 p.m. July 27.

The rest of the lineup is:

Aug. 31 - “What is Organic in Organic”

Sept. 28: “Raw for Thirty Days”

Oct. 26: “No Impact Man,”

Nov. 30: “The World According to Monsanto”

Kuntz said the director of August’s film is expected to attend the viewing and hold a discussion session afterward.

For more about the series and future films, visit twinoaksfarm.net or contact Savary at Renee@twinoaksfarm.net or Kuntz at jlkuntz@mac.com.