THE MEATRIX WOWS WOODSTOCK
Internet’s Most Popular Advocacy Film Vies for Best Animated Short
(Woodstock, NY - October 14, 2004) – A trench coat-clad cow and a pig in sunglasses will be among the stars in upstate New York this weekend when The Meatrix, (www.themeatrix.com), the most successful online advocacy film in history, is screened as a nominee for best short animation film at the acclaimed Woodstock Film Festival.
To date, over 5 million people have logged on to the cutting edge flash animation piece. Through a cartoon pig named Leo, and a cow with a baritone voice named Moopheus, The Meatrix educates consumers on the detrimental effects of factory farming through one highly effective tool…humor!
“There is an exciting food revolution underway that is bringing people back to the dinner table and their local farmers,” noted Diane Hatz, who helped produced the award-winning film. “We’ve been contacted by folks all over the country who say they’ve stopped eating industrial, factory-farm meat after seeing this film.”
In anticipation of the festival, The Meatrix website has been completely re-designed to help viewers learn more about issues surrounding factory farming. Now, visitors who enter their zip code at the end of the movie can access the Eat Well Guide (www.eatwellguide.org), the free, online directory of local farms, stores and markets that carry sustainable meat products. An action page explains 10 different ways that consumers can support traditional family farms, from where to find sustainable meat to how to contact government officials on agriculture policies. The information section also provides updated facts and data on factory farming.
The Meatrix is gaining attention off line as well. It was featured at the 2004 Farm Aid Concert in Seattle, the Media that Matters Film Festival in New York City, and the Annecy Film Festival in France. It has also been shown in theaters across the nation, and has been used as a teaching tool in grade schools and colleges.
The film was so popular that after its debut in November 2003, hundreds of emails requesting The Meatrix t-shirts flooded the offices of GRACE, the nonprofit advocacy group that produced the movie with DC-based Free Range Graphics. As a result, an entire line of The Meatrix merchandise is now available at www.themeatrix.com/shop, including t-shirts, caps and mugs. All proceeds are donated to Farm Aid.
The Meatrix and the Eat Well Guide are projects of Sustainable Table (www.sustainabletable.org), a campaign that educates consumers and increases demand for animal products and produce grown using sustainable methods. Through an informative web site, awareness campaigns and viable solutions to the factory farm problem, Sustainable Table is helping families shop smarter, eat healthier, and enjoy the abundance of fresh, locally-grown meats and produce.
Sustainable Table is a project of GRACE. GRACE is a nonprofit organization that works with research, policy and grassroots communities to raise awareness and promote solutions to preserve the planet for future generations. Visit us at www.gracelinks.org.
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