THE battle to protect Australia's food security and create jobs for people in the Goulburn Valley is the subject of a new film.
Ascot Vale screenwriter and filmmaker Johnny Flynn, 40, told Weekly Times Now he was not a social activist but when approached about the food security issue he became intrigued.
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The 23-minute trailer, Food fight: One Aussie town fights back, to be screened tomorrow night at 2 Lux Way in Brunswick pieces together the formation of the Goulburn Valley Food Co-operative and Girgarre's fight and disappointment when food giant Heinz slashed 146 jobs earlier this year at its sauce factory.
"It's a promotional tool to get the word out there and essentially there will be an extended version in the future," Flynn said.
Flynn said Peter Roberts and Tony Matera had taken footage of the rally at Girgarre last year and early milestones in the co-op's formation and he had done additional interviews with co-op chairman Les Cameron, food guru and Ambassador to the United Nations for the International Year of the Co-op Peter Russell-Clarke and former Heinz workers.
"I think when I've been in Girgarre here's been a vibe of hope . . . People are still really optimistic and grateful for the work of Les and others and want to see it come into reality as I do to. And with the help of Peter Russell-Clarke and Dick Smith I think there’s a real chance."
Flynn said the trailer was like a promotion for the co-op to attract awareness of its plans for a food hub but also create jobs.
He said there would be an extended version of the film in the future and likely smaller updates detailing the group's progress.
"I do definitely (have some nerves) I guess about showing an artwork in progress and not finished but I think the cause is more important and so is the timeline of the co-op’s needs but of course there is nerves."
The co-op is aiming to sign up one million Aussies at $50 a piece to join the cause.
