“First We Eat”: A Lighthearted Film Takes on More Serious Overtones

The Canadian documentary “First We Eat” takes a rather amusing and lighthearted perspective on the challenges of eating locally particularly in Canada’s Yukon.

It was precipitated by a landslide that covered the only road into Dawson City. Grocery shelves were emptied in 48 hours. This caused Suzanne Croker to embark on a one- year project to only eat local. Her husband and three children were reluctant but, in the end, supportive. By day three Suzanne is exhausted and near tears. Making your own salt from plants and getting your drinking water from trees and making birch syrup is not an easy task. In fact, it is just about a full time job.

Crocker realized the family would not make it unless they obtained help from a group of hard nosed but supportive hunters and gatherers and the viewer is on a journey discovering a community of producers including dairy farmers, livestock producers and most interestingly Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in natives  who have been living off the land for thousands of years although the younger generation has to “go back to school” and be trained on hunting and gathering. And such respect and veneration they have for the fish and animals they kill and where nothing is wasted. Suzanne notes her vegetarianism is on hold as the only source of protein was from fish and meat.

Crocker’s family accomplished Crocker’s goal an amazing feat where 97% of food is transported into Dawson City. There are moments of family agony and retching and gagging over terrible tasting food. Yet there is the triumph of making birch syrup, homemade yogurt, butter, cheese and moose beef and kidney pie amongst many other dishes. Soap berries or pig blood and milk smoothies anyone?

Crocker notes when you rely on outside sources for all your food you are in trouble. Crocker strongly believes in establishing a relationship with all the producers of her food to the point she knows where everything came from on the family’s plates.

As Crocker says, “Some of the challenges we faced are very much specific to the North, but the theme of food dependence is global. A community that depends on its food coming from elsewhere is extremely vulnerable. And I like to say that the North is the canary in the coalmine of food security.”

I try to eat local and it does take some effort  but the produce I eat is fresher and not doused with preservatives and chemicals but if the pandemic spirals out of control I will not have to depend on grocery stores to the extent most people do. Never take for granted your food supply and give thanks to those who produce it and transport it to you.

In a way there is some similarity to a Canadian documentary I saw (the name of which escapes me) of a couple wanting to make a point that much of the food produced simply rots away as garbage so they lived off food from restaurant and grocery store dumpsters for a year.

Crocker is an acclaimed film maker and “First We Eat” is very well produced conveying an important message. It won the 2020 Audience Choice Award at the Toronto Hot Docs Festival. It has been playing throughout Canada including Cinema Parc in Montreal other virtual theatres are described here https://blueicedocs.com/stream/31/first-we-eat/.

Congratulations Crockers! You did it! Watch this trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LmBY915KNQ Oh by the way Suzanne no longer requires blood pressure medication.