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Deep Dive: The Grab (2024)

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The Grab
The Grab is a documentary that follows investigative journalists from The Center for Investigative Reporting as they uncover efforts by various entities to control global food and water resources. The film begins with the 2014 acquisition of Smithfield Foods by the Chinese WH Group, which resulted in WH Group owning over a quarter of all pigs in the United States. It examines other significant transactions, such as a Saudi company's purchase of arid land in Arizona and the involvement of mercenary groups like Blackwater in securing land in Africa. The narrative reveals how nation states and private finance are positioning themselves to take advantage of potential collapses in food and water production due to climate change. The filmmakers utilize a mix of archival footage and guerrilla filmmaking techniques, including instances where the crew was denied access and detained in Zambia, to illustrate the complex interplay between governments, commercial enterprises, and military actors in this critical issue.

Why Watch

  • •See how WH Group controls a quarter of US pigs.
  • •Find out about Saudi land purchases in Arizona.
  • •Meet the mercenaries involved in African land deals.

Did You Know

•The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2022.
•Gabriela Cowperthwaite spent six years making this film.
•The film won the Best Documentary award at the San Diego International Film Festival in 2023.
•On Rotten Tomatoes, 85% of 27 critics' reviews are positive.

Perfect For

Food security issuesClimate change impactsInvestigative journalism