The follow-up to BANANAS!* is the true story about a Swedish filmmaker and a banana corporation. Dirty tricks, lawsuits, manipulation, and the price of free speech.
What is a big corporation capable of in order to protect its brand? Swedish filmmaker Fredrik Gertten’s experienced this recently. His previous film BANANAS!* (2009) recounts the lawsuit that 12 Nicaraguan plantation workers brought against the fruit giant Dole Food Company.
The film was selected for competition by the Los Angeles Film Festival. Nothing wrong so far, right? But then Gertten gets a strange message: the festival removes BANANAS!* from competition. Then a scathing article appears in the Los Angeles Business Journal about the film, and Gertten subsequently receives a letter from Dole’s attorney threatening him with legal action. What follows is an unparalleled thriller that has Gertten capturing the entire process – from DOLE attacking the producers with a defamation lawsuit, bullying scaretactics, to media-control and PR-spin. This personal film reveals precisely how a multinational will stop at nothing to get its way – freedom of speech is at stake. As Dole’s PR company puts it, “It is easier to cope with a bad conscience than a bad reputation”.
The trailer above features our Distrify player. It allows you to watch the trailer and (later on) the whole film anywhere on the web, wherever this player gets embedded.
If you sign up with Distrify and share our player on social media, your blog, or your website, we’ll share our revenues with you. Every time the film gets sold through a player you’ve embedded, you’ll get an affiliate share of 10 percent.
Pretty cool, huh?
Read more at www.bigboysgonebananas.com »
[…] Det förtar inte det viktiga i historien om hur Fredrik Gertten blev tystad när han skulle berätta om hur bananföretaget Dole besprutar bananodlingarna i Nicaragua utan hänsyn till arbetarna. När Fredrik Gertten gjorde sin dokumentär ”Bananas!*” blev han hänsynslöst tystad av det multinationella företaget Dole. Dole finns i USA, i vars konstitution yttrandefriheten är inskriven. Men att ha rätt till yttrandefrihet och att ha yttrandefrihet är inte samma sak. Dole, med sin kapitalstarka plånbok tvekade inte att anlita såväl jurister och PR-byråer till att hota Gertten, hans producent Margrete Jangård, personerna i filmfestivalen i LA, alla i medier som skrev om filmen osv personligen på skadestånd för förtal. Hela historien, som drog ut över tre år, är dokumenterad av Gertten/Jangård i deras uppföljande film; ”Big Boys Gone Bananas!*”. […]
Pingback by Det är skam, det är fläck… « Anna Serner — November 23, 2011 @ 3:49 pm
Looks really interesting think that I might watch it online.
Comment by Fashion Books — December 19, 2011 @ 9:48 pm
que verguenza para la compania dole y que lastima para los que somos pobres y no podemos defendernos que bello es poder ver estos videos que muestran la verdad yo puedo testificar de estas atrosidades por que yo vivi en carne propia todo lo que se muestra en el video soy tercera generacion que trabajo para esta compania desde mi abuelo mi padre y yo dios les de perdon a estas personas que danaron tanto a nuestra gente soy de honduras y espero que su consiencia los deje dormir tranquilos pero eso es para nosotros los pobres estas personas no saben lo que es consiencia vivo en usa y porfin pude mostrales a mis hijos las atrosidades que estas companias isieron con nuestra gente gracias alos que isieron este video y alos que coperaron con el caso pero si les digo algo en mi casa no se consume nada que sea producido por esta compania esa es mi humilde forma de protestar dios los bendiga y sigan produciendo este tipo de videos que al final del camino la verdad nunca sera callada,
Comment by ricardo saavedra — January 26, 2012 @ 3:11 am
I just saw this film tonight. What a victory for free speech and the people who dare to tell the truth. What a terrifying tale about the power of global corporations. Thank you for your courage and this film.
Comment by Sally — March 15, 2012 @ 2:54 am
Fantastiskt att följa dina dokmentärer om Dole. Jag känner mig skadeglad och stolt över att David slog Goliat! Jag slås också av hur olika människan tolkar innebörden av “freedom of speach”. Filmerna gav ett ljus i en mörk tunnel som inger hopp för framtiden när det gäller det godas kamp över det onda. Tack för att ni gjorde filmerna!
Comment by Ulrika — August 23, 2012 @ 9:34 pm
As usual you guys source your information from one side of the fence so you can sensationalize a story. Why don’t you check your facts.
Comment by joseph — September 2, 2012 @ 11:04 pm
Hejsan,
I just saw your film (bit late, yeah ;). Really captivating horror story. I think I’m now done with Dole’s products.
I’m interested if you are still attacked by the astro turfers? I’m not saying that ‘joseph’ abowe is one. Just professional curiosity, you know.
Comment by M — November 5, 2012 @ 5:27 pm
light in the dark
thank you for fighting back
Comment by AN — December 5, 2012 @ 10:43 am
It’s indeed better for this scum on the dole to cope with both a bad conscience and an even worse reputation. Great work!
Comment by BdV — December 5, 2012 @ 5:36 pm
It was just released in dec in Holland and had a great impact and many, many positive critics. Great job!
Comment by Nardy — January 12, 2013 @ 10:52 pm
I saw this film today.
Thank you Fredrik Gertten for your great work.
I admire your courage and your true spirit.
You give us hope for the future.
You are one of the free heroes of this world.
Geir MB
Comment by Geir MB — February 3, 2013 @ 7:05 pm
[…] A while ago, I saw a FANTASTIC documentary about this fruit, and I really recommend it! for if you have time, see the trailer here […]
Pingback by Family business | BeeCee — August 23, 2013 @ 2:26 pm
Fantastic! watching it tomorrow and I hope it´s just as good as u say
Comment by Aläääääx — September 11, 2013 @ 2:36 pm
Dole is one of the many malfeasants. Chiquita is another one. They overthrew governments, had the US invade many Central American countries and paid Colombian right wing paramilitaries to defend them.
US Attorney General (Obama’s Eric Holder) used to work as the lead attorney that succeeded in defending Chiquita in US courts.
Comment by Carlos Morales — March 7, 2014 @ 8:08 am