(2021, 24 minutes)

Modern food production depends heavily on fossil fuels, from growing and harvesting crops to processing and distribution. “Food and Fuel: A Story of Resilience” explores what happens when that energy-dependent system is disrupted. The film draws a parallel between Cuba’s “Special Period,” when the loss of Soviet oil supplies forced dramatic changes to food production and daily life, and the experience of a British Columbia woman attempting to live and grow food without fossil fuels in Roberts Creek, BC. Together, these stories raise questions about resilience, community support and the future of food in a world increasingly challenged by energy and environmental uncertainty.

Fossil fuels are used in the chemicals and fertilizers sprayed on crops, to till the soil, to harvest the food in the fields, to process them into food products, and to distribute them to our communities.

When Cuba's supply of Soviet oil was no longer available, people went hungry and the average Cuban lost 20 pounds. They could no longer wait for food to be delivered. Food had to be grown close to where the people lived. It was a major shift in Cuban society and they become resilient to survive.

In Roberts Creek, British Columbia, one woman decided to live a fossil free life. Her small house, about 110 square feet, did not sit well with authorities. And growing food was not easy without community support. She got some support, but would she get enough support to survive.

Director: David Lavallee
Producers: David Lavallee, Scott Renyard