This was one of the two best films, by far, that I saw at Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. The other was Escape Fire.

is it the reality of our legitimate system so biased and kill the freedom of expression as it could not match their business

Fredrik, thank you so much for screening your film this weekend in Durham, NC at the Fullframe Documentary Film Festival. I am a lawyer having spent my nearly 20 year career almost exclusively as a civil defense lawyer representing corporations and/or their insurance companies. I watched your film with interest but being the skeptical defense attorney, decided to reserve judgment until I had the chance to see the underlying documentary Bananas!* I downloaded the film on Netflix while I was listening to the Q&A last night and just finished the film tonight. Now with the benefit of having seen both films, let me first say how very proud I am of you to not only stand up to such a clear case of (misplaced) corporate bullying, but to create a second film to document the abuse. While I can certainly understand why Dole would have preferred the underlying film to have not been made, under the circumstances, I was surprised with just how incredibly balanced Bananas!* was in presenting both sides of the case. In fact, if I had only seen the first film, I would have been left with the thought that these poor workers may have been victimized by Dole and then again by an overzealous trial attorney. Because of Dole’s clear and blatent abuse of the legal process against you, their corporate image is harmed far more by the second film than the first film.


Regardless of your political persuasion, free speech is the cornerstone of our modern society. Even if you don’t care for a particular point of view, the freedom to hold and espouse that view must be protected. I am so glad your good name and your film have been vindicated but such a blatent attempt by Dole to use their corporate name to deprive you of your free speech rights. Thank you, thank you for standing up to this abuse. I will recommend both films to as many people as I can and will be removing all Dole products from my home.

Dear Mr. Frederik:

Yesterday, 14-APR, I went to the BAFICI (Buenos Aires, Argentina) Festival for the screening of your film. I really appreciate all the effort in the making of and not giving up under the pressure of the big corporations. I was pleased to see how 2 parties at the Parliament that are contraries, got together to support your work. I’m journalist and at this time, all over the world, it easy to be captured by economic and political facts that silence the free speech and also don’t let public opinion get well informed.

Here, in Argentina, we have got a film named “Whisky, Romeo, Zulu”, made by Enrique Piñeyro, telling in a docudrama the story of an airliner that never took off and killed more than 60 people. He was pilot 3 months earlier the plain crashed and he quited this job denouncing what he thought it could be a great problem as at last it was. None, his workmates non his superiors heard the claim. He wrote a letter to a big newspaper in Argentina but they didn’t want to publish it; then he send it to The New York Times (and they published it) and at this time, the other newspaper, that one from Argentina, let the news come to light. Again there was a denial of the facts Piñeyro exposed from the airline and the government. But the tragedy happened and nobody could lie anymore.

Then Enrique Piñeyro made the film and it was presented at the BAFICI, families that were victims went to the screening hoping the film could reach a commercial release. There was a trial for the tragedy, today there is no one in jail for this crime but Piñeyro could tell a truth and help a little bit not to fall again in a silence that could be fatal.

Thank you again for this movie and to encourage people all over the world not to shut up against interest that kills physically and over all, morally.


Sincerely,

María Laura Paz

RECIPes (re-ci-p.blogspot.com.ar)

I just saw the film at Full Frame and I enjoyed it very much. But I must take a few exceptions. One of the producers mentions, when the film Bananas! is moved at the LA Film Fest, that it was being moved to UCLA, which he describes as very far from Westwood. UCLA is IN Westwood. It’s not far from Westwood, it’s in Westwood. And, furthermore, it screened at Melnitz, which is at the heart of UCLA’s film and tv program, one of the best in the world. You could do worse. Secondly, the film, as well as your entire marketing scheme, seems to be about free speech, but I’m wondering if the workers, whose plight is the basis for this entire enterprise, are at all being overlooked here.

Hi Catherine,

Thanks for your support and your questions.


The donation page is secure, using a connection to the server https://wgfilm.nationbuilder.com/donate and 256-bit encryption. We need the address information as you will automatically receive a receipt for your donation. This information will remain totally confidential.


BIG BOYS GONE BANANAS!* was just lauched at festivals and in cinemas, and is hence not available to buy yet. But it will definitely be available online and on DVD.


Cheers,

Ben

Hi

I’m willing to make a donation, but the donation page is not secured and I don’t want to let my personal datas (address) on it.

I also would like to buy bigboysgonebananas (through legal download for example).

What can I do ?


And also thank you and bravo Fredrik and all your team for not giving up in this battle.

I don’t see bananas the same way now I watched Bananas!

I love this fruit but not at any cost.


Catherine

After watching your film I no longer buy Dole or Chiquita bananas. Thanks so much for sharing your story.

It is films like this that make the world a better place :-) Greeting from One World Festival, Prague

I live in Lanai Hawaii, Dole used to own 90% of the island, now David Murdock owns it. There are 3000 residents here and he is trying to put up a wind farm because his investment (our island) is not making him money. Our island needs help! David Murdock used to be the CEO of Dole now he is only a trustee but his greed and ego is killing our island. Do an internet search for yourself or check out, friendsoflanai.org

Great film! I am pleased you were so persistant. People like you are needed in this world.

The film was fabulous. Thank you so much.

I thought the media was supposed to be controlled by left wing liberals? Now it is supposed to be controlled by big companies? I think everyone has an agenda (including both Dole and Gertten) and people need to start thinking for themselves. Just because it is on TV, in the newspaper, or in a film does not make it true.

Great website. Will catch it at IDFA!

Can’t wait to see this film! Congrats to Fredrik and WG Film.

Few of us have been attacked so viciously as Fredrik Gertten and WG Film have by the unscrupulous lawyers and mindless media that Dole unleashed against them. But basically, it could happen to any of us, at any time, if it weren’t for lonely warriors such as Fredrik risking his life’s work to protect values such as free speech, honesty and truth. The wonderful and courageous thing that Fredrik Gertten and WG Film demonstrate with this documentary is that we – the 99% – d0 have the right and the power to question the inequalities and injustices on our planet, to fight the odds even when the opposition owns the bank, the judge and the media. Unfortunately, it was one man, a small company and a few friends against a corporation that believes that to protect their profits they can bend the law, manipulate the media and destroy people. Business as usual. No longer. We, the people, demand a better world for all. Please support this movie, this director and this production company any way you can. It is not just his future or their future at stake, it is our future.

Maja – I’ve seen the rough cut, and I can’t wait to see the final version! You’ll love it.

cool webpage. Can’t wait to see the film at Idfa!