In her new film, the documentarian Liz Marshall depicts the rise of Upside Foods, a company that produces meat from animal cells.
With drama series about defective start-ups — like “The Dropout” and “WeCrashed” — in the spotlight, it’s weird to see a Bay Area-based biotech operation take off without turmoil. Yet that is the ultimate goal of Upside Foods, a new company headed by a cardiologist, Uma Valeti. By taking animals out of the process of meat production, the company hopes to minimize all kinds of strife to humans and livestock alike. In her new documentary, “Meat the Future,” the director Liz Marshall detachedly depicts Upside’s rise, starting in 2016. Opening narration by Jane Goodall describes this as “the next agricultural revolution.” But if you’re not well-versed in bioengineering or food regulation, it’s a bit of a slog.
The film centers mainly on Valeti as he works to get Upside — originally Memphis Meats, as it’s called throughout the documentary — off the ground. Upside advances along with its technology, which seeks to grow real meat from animal cells, an endeavor known in some circles as the “clean meat movement.” By eliminating industrial agriculture, “Meat the Future” explains, companies like Upside could significantly reduce deforestation, methane production, animal mistreatment and the spread of disease.
It’s certainly compelling to think about a future where the United States is free from industrial agriculture, but that fantasy is the most interesting thing on offer here. For the many, many people whose eyes glaze over at the mere mention of agricultural policy and scientific technicalities, this straightforward film will be about as engaging as a corporate PowerPoint — with no graphics.
Meat the Future
Not rated. Running time: 1 hour 24 minutes. Available to rent or buy on Apple TV, Google Play and other streaming platforms and pay TV operators.
Source: Movies - nytimes.com
