When recent college graduates Ian Cheney and Curt Ellis heard the news that their generation was at risk of having a shorter lifespan than their parents, they wanted to know why. To explore the issue, they decided to keep track of what they ate, eventually analyzing their hair for traces of carbon. To their surprise, they found that corn was the primary source of carbon in their bodies—corn from high fructose corn syrup and other processed ingredients used ubiquitously in our food system.
The discovery brought them back to where it all began—rural Iowa, where three generations before theirs had lived on family farms. Here, this dynamic duo set out on a mission to find out how an acre of corn could get from a field in Iowa into their bodies and the bodies of millions of people all over America.
The story of Ian and Curt’s journey is chronicled in the documentary King Corn, which follows these two friends as they dive deep into the industrial food system and uncover its hidden truths. Viewers will learn about how industrial agriculture has changed our diets and our health—and gain insight into how we can make better choices when it comes to what we eat.
This powerful film offers an eye-opening look at the roots of the modern food system—from farm to table—and is an essential watch for anyone who wants to understand more about what’s really going into their meals. With a unique mix of humor and hard facts, King Corn is sure to inspire viewers to think twice about where their food comes from—and how it affects them.
