Bananas!* vs the Dole Food Company
p2pnet news view P2P | Movies | Freedom:- Today was the day set for the makers of Bananas!* to show their documentary in the Swedish parliament.
But it isn’t about bananas. It’s about freedom of speech — about, “efforts by Los Angeles trial lawyer Juan Dominguez to represent fruit workers allegedly made sterile after Dole sprayed them with a banned pesticide,” says The Local.
The Dole Food Company is a US-based agricultural multinational headquartered in California. It’s the “leading grower and packer” of such food items as bananas, pineapples, grapes, strawberries, and other fresh and frozen fruits, says the Wikipedia.
The company, “recently filed a lawsuit against Fredrik Gertten, the Swedish filmmaker behind the movie, claiming the film is inaccurate and defamatory toward the company,” says The Local, going on:
“The food giant was also successful in blocking a previously scheduled screening of the film in Los Angeles.
“Dole`s actions caused two Swedish parliamentarians, Mats Johansson of the Moderate Party and Social Democrat Luciano Astudillo, to schedule a screening of the film in a show of support for Gertten.”
But, “Right now, there is a legal process in the United States where questions about free speech are being pushed to its limits,” say the chairmen of Sveriges Television (the Swedish public service television), Producentföreningen (the Swedish Film & TV Producers Association) and Svenska Filminstitutet (the Swedish Film Institute) on the Bananas!* blog.
Their comments came in an editorial in in Swedish daily Dagens Nyheter.
“Should it be possible, in a democratic society, to prohibit the screening of a documentary criticizing a major company?” – they ask. “Should a company be able to stop the criticism in advance and stifle discussion and debate?”
In the OpEd, Lars Engqvist, Sveriges TV, Björn Rosengren, Producentföreningen, and HÃ¥kan Tidlund, Svenska Filminstitutet, continue, in part »»»
Dole’s lawsuit concerns the very basic principles of freedom of expression.
In a globalized world, where economic and political interests moves freely across national borders, free speech must also be global and without frontiers.
A Swedish film crew must have the freedom to examine the actions of a large American company in another country, and must be able to put forward their criticism to public examination and debate.
The foundations of an open society are poisoned when journalists, writers, artists and filmmakers have to work under the threat of being sued every time a financially strong party is examined.
If companies, public institutions or organizations believe that they are subjected to false or unfounded criticism, they all have the option and means to respond in an open discussion. To prohibit a critical examination is a serious restriction of free speech.
We urge Dole Food to withdraw their lawsuit and instead acknowledge our open society and freedom of expression.
Stay tuned.
First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win ~ Mahatma Gandhi
The Local – Swedish MPs back filmmaker’s battle with US food giant, October 1, 2009
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October 1st, 2009 at 5:06 pm
Does this mean I have to boycott Dole “product” now? Man that list is getting long. One day soon I’ll find I’m no longer allowed to buy anything from anyone if this keeps up. /s
October 1st, 2009 at 7:08 pm
I going to have to side with dole on this one. If it is slanderous, then they have every right under our constitution to address the issue in court.
If it’s not slanderous by the legal definition….. then it can go out as planned. As long as they get a speedy trial, no harm, no foul.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Who’s bananas?
Bob Dole Bananas?
Is it a copyrighted bananas or a poisonous bananas from Dole?
I am not sure I understand.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:43 pm
“Does this mean I have to boycott Dole âproductâ now?”
No but if you want to stay a man don’t buy it.
After eating a Dole Bananas you might turn into a girl.
I wonder if Dole is going to sue me now. But whatever they do I am not going to withdraw what I just say nor apologize.
I never apologize.