HELD BY THE EARTH / SHAPED IN THE QUIET
Abstract
Our project began with research into the issue of waste and the Western obsession with perfectly shaped products. Food waste is a significant global problem, approximately 30% of all food produced is discarded. At the same time, a large percentage of the global population lives in poverty and faces food insecurity. In fact, the food we waste could potentially feed millions, possibly even all, of those in need.
This striking contrast prompted us to explore the absurdity of perfectionism in Western food production systems. Our supermarkets are lined with rows of flawless bell peppers, tomatoes, and eggplants, while imperfect but perfectly edible ones are rejected and discarded.
Our initial synopsis followed the journey of a tomato, grown in a greenhouse and subjected to constant scrutiny. It’s inspected for imperfections before reaching the supermarket, where it's judged again. Eventually, a tiny black spot appears, and the tomato is thrown away despite still being edible.
Following this collaborative starting point, each of us created our own individual narratives, expanding on the themes of food waste and systemic absurdities, and developed storyboards for potential films. Costanza delved deeper into the life of the tomato, offering a more elaborate continuation of its story. Ismael leapt into a speculative future, envisioning a divided, two-class society. In this dystopia, the wealthy consume the best, most perfect tomatoes, while the poor survive on artificial supplements made from discarded tomato waste. Siri rewound time to the industrial revolution and the urbanization wave of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It marked the first era when large numbers of people became dependent on store-bought food rather than their own harvests. With no formal waste collection systems in place, cities overflowed with garbage. Her story follows a man who, forced to abandon his family farm, becomes one of the first waste collectors in an emerging urban society. Reyes ventured even further into the past, setting her story in 12th-century Spain. Her protagonist is a woman deeply connected to the land, growing her own food and using local clay to create cold storage structures that preserve her harvests longer. Her narrative honors a slower, more sustainable relationship with food.
Our final film is set in a near-future day that could be as soon as tomorrow. It explores the tension between our modern dependence on industrial food production and storage systems, and a sudden return to traditional practices, triggered by a widespread blackout. The story follows a woman who collects clay from a city park, cleans and shapes it by hand, and constructs a traditional, non-electric refrigerator. This device, made of two clay chambers separated by wet sand and covered with a damp cloth, shows ancient cooling techniques once used long before the advent of modern appliances.
The narrative is interwoven with real interviews about the blackout in Spain on April 28 and 29, 2025. People recount their immediate reactions to the blackout: where they were, what food they had left and their growing awareness of just how dependent life in the city has become on power systems.
These voices, grounded in present-day experiences, bring the story chillingly close to reality, reminding us that this scenario isn't science fiction. It could happen any day.
