PORT ANGELES — As gardeners ready their garden beds for spring planting, a new documentary sheds light on the seeds that may be available.
Tickets for the 4:30 p.m. Thursday, April 24, showing of the documentary film “Open Sesame: The Story of Seeds” at Deer Park Cinema, 96 Deer Park Road, are available at www.tinyurl.com/PDN-OpenSesame.
How much to view?
Tickets are $10.50 each. Nearly half — 67 of the available 148 seats — had been sold as of Monday.
The film examines the history of seeds, seed crops and their current status in corporate and family farming and gardening.
“Open Sesame” is opening on Earth Day across the U.S., but Port Angeles was the first community to reserve the film for public showings, said Sean Kaminsky, director and producer.
Farming source
There has been a great deal of interest in seeds and farming, including organic farming, seed farming and the source of the seeds that create the world’s food supply, Kaminsky said.
“People are more aware of what they’re eating,” he said.
Monsanto Corp. and genetically modified seeds are part of the film, but only a small part, Kaminsky said.
Kaminsky said corporate farming, which produces very large amounts of seed but with a limited genetic variety, threatens the many heritage and home-grown varieties that exist and has already eliminated thousands of species and varieties of seed crops.
‘Key genetics’
“One of those may have key genetics that allows it to be successful in changing climates,” he said.
Kaminsky said that initially, Monsanto was an even smaller piece of the film because of the already high public awareness of issues surrounding the company, but ongoing events at the time of filming made their way on screen because they were current and important to the story.
A movie trailer and more information on “Open Sesame” can be seen at www.opensesamemovie.com.
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Reporter Arwyn Rice can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5070, or at arwyn.rice@peninsuladailynews.com.
