Deserted, a documentary by Baltimore filmmaker Emily Stubb, will have its television premiere on Maryland Public Television (MPT) at 9 p.m. on Monday December 21. Food deserts are part of the landscape in many cities and towns as some Americans struggle to access healthy, affordable, fresh foods. Deserted looks at the issue of food equity in Baltimore through the perspective of residents, activists, city officials, and organizations working to make a difference.
The film focuses on Harlem Park neighborhood resident Anthony Francis who shows the limited options and nutrient-poor foods often found in the local corner stores. Francis also shares his efforts to provide healthy alternatives by starting an urban garden and plans to open a farm-to-table restaurant in his community.
In addition to Francis, Deserted includes perspectives from Black Yield Institute founder Eric Johnson, 9th District Baltimore City Councilman John Bullock, students at Southwest Baltimore Charter School, and Major Gene Hogg, area commander, Salvation Army of Central Maryland. The Salvation Army had recently opened its own non-profit grocery store, DMG Foods, in northeast Baltimore to offer healthy and affordable food to the surrounding community. A film trailer is available for viewing at https://vimeo.com/29150266.
The film airs on MPT-HD following the annual observance of Human Rights Day on December 10, which marks the day the United Nations General Assembly adopted, in 1948, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Deserted was an official selection of the 2019 Maryland Film Festival and 2019 Global Impact Film Festival.
Stubb produced and directed Deserted in 2018 as her undergraduate thesis for degrees in documentary film and environmental studies from Ithaca College. “In the world’s wealthiest country, access to healthy food should be a basic human right, one shared by all. This film attempts to raise awareness through the stories of people trying to make a difference and reclaim their right to healthy food,” explains Stubb.
The filmwill be rebroadcast on MPT-HD at 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 22. Starting the same day, the film also will be available on MPT’s video player at https://video.mpt.tv/.
Deserted will be followed on December 21 at 9:30 by the film Justice in Chester. During the 1990s, residents in Chester, Pennsylvania, a predominantly poor, Black community, organized a movement to stop the permitting of waste treatment facilities in their city. The film chronicles the decades-long history of increasing pollution and grievances, and the grassroots struggle to halt the clustering of commercial and hazardous waste facilities. Justice in Chester underscores the importance of community involvement and highlights the power of grassroots efforts to affect positive change.
About Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television (MPT) is a statewide, public-supported TV network and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) affiliate, offering entertaining, informative, educational, and inspiring content delivered by traditional broadcasting and streaming on TVs, computers, and mobile devices. A state agency, it operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission. MPT creates and distributes local, regional, and national content and is a frequent winner of regional Emmy® Awards. MPT’s commitment to educators, parents, caregivers, and learners of all ages is delivered through instructional events and Thinkport.org. MPT’s year-round community engagement activities connect viewers with resources on a wide range of topics. For more information visit mpt.org.
