This film follows an animated American peanut, who sings about the difficulties faced by nuts from developing countries. Supported by a mixture of animation, music, our American peanut takes the viewer through the stories of the cashew, brazil and ground nuts – all of whom suffer as world trade is liberalized. But it is a different story in America – where the peanut is protected by tariffs and heavily subsidized, and worth over four billion dollars a year to the American economy. Certainly the luckiest nut in the world. The film helps people to understand how the pressure to embrace ‘free market’ economics, with it’s promise of a wealthy, abundant market place has actually driven many countries further into poverty.
The response to the film has been amazing. After screening to over 1 million people on Channel 4, the film has been in numerous festivals, including, the One World Human Rights Film Festival in Prague, and taking Best Short Documentary at Full Frame. Christian Aid in the UK used the film and it’s characters in their “Trade Rules are Nuts, Let’s Crack’m!” campaign.