Best Documentary
Red Gold : The Global Tomato Conspiracy
The world’s most consumed fruit hides a fascinating and untold story. Long before globalization took hold, the humble tomato was already being industrialized, transforming into a commodity as essential as wheat, rice, or oil. Its versatility—powering products like ketchup, pizza sauce, soups, and frozen meals—made it indispensable.
By 1897, a decade before Ford revolutionized car manufacturing, Heinz was already mass-producing tomato puree, pioneering branding strategies, crushing unions, enforcing strict production standards, and developing genetic labs to create uniform plantations worldwide.
Today, no matter where you are, you eat the same tomatoes. This film follows tomato paste’s journey across Africa, Italy, China, and America, exposing the true consequences of this billion-dollar industry.
Original Title : The empire of red gold
Director : Xavier Deleu & Jean Baptiste Malet
Published Apr 5, 2025
