|
On September
12th 2009, the greatest hunger-fighter the world has ever known lost the fight for his life.
In his home state, Iowa Public Television marked his passing with a special broadcast of the full 66-minute documentary,
and they are currently preparing the 56-minute HD special for additional broadcasts in October while offering the film to
Public TV stations nationwide.
Click the link below to read the New York Times Obituary
Norman Borlaug, Plant Scientist Who Fought Famine, Dies at 95
Upcoming Events
Freedom from
Famine: The Norman Borlaug Story will be screened at the World Food Prize in Des Moines, Iowa on October 14th 2009.
All registered attendees from around the world will receive a copy of the feature-length film.
Norman Borlaug with son and daughter, Bill
& Jeanie, at Jeanie's house after his 95th birthday luncheon
Interviewing Jeffrey Sachs at his office
in New York
Cary Fowler, George McGovern, and Jeffrey
Sachs during our interviews.
November 2008:
Filming for Freedom From Famine: The Norman Borlaug Story wraps up with Cary
Fowler, internationally recognized expert in agricultural diversity and Executive Director of the Global Crop Diversity Trust,
much in the news lately for building the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, gave his perspective on critical needs for feeding the
world. Senator George McGovern, co-winner with Senator Bob Dole of 2008 World Food Prize also shared his views on world
hunger and described their life-saving worldwide school food program. Then, at Columbia University, the Director of
the Earth Institute, Jeffrey Sachs, spoke about his relationship with Dr. Borlaug, the Earth Institute's Millennium Villages
Projects, and Dr. Sachs' belief that hunger and famine can be eliminated from the world.
Gay, Josh, and Phil Courter with President
Jimmy Carter
September 24th, 2008:
On Wednesday, September 24th 2008, we interviewed President Jimmy Carter for the Borlaug documentary.
President Carter recounted several stories of the work he and Dr. Borlaug have been doing to help strengthen food security,
especially in Africa. As a farmer himself, President Carter was also able to share his insights on GMOs and other issues that
are becoming critical worldwide.
Click here for Carter Center
Wide shot of re-creation - "Margaret"
can be seen on the far left calling to "Norman"
Camera angle of re-enactment from behind
"Dr. Borlaug"
September 2008
We filmed the scene where Margaret receives
calls from Europe and drives out to the Toluca fields to tell her husband that he won the Nobel Peace Prize. By coincidence
the actual field where Norm was working in 1970 was accidentally planted with wheat for the first time in many years and helped
with the authenticity of the scene.
We also made high-quality photo reproductions of the extensive library that
is held at CIMMYT headquarters at El Batan, Texcoco. Dr. Hans Braun and several others gave excellent interviews, and we learned that the food crisis facing the world
today is remarkably similar to the conditions and issues Norman Borlaug faced in the 1940s and 50s.
From left: actor Erick Stephen Listman
Sánchez, coordinator Miguel
Sainz,cameraman Joe Espin, director Phil Courter
Cameraman Joe Espin uses truck for higher
shot
Director Phil Courter checks camera angle
at Toluca field
One of the photo in CIMMYT's Archives: —Norman Borlaug prepares seed for cross pollination
A color slide from CIMMYT's collection
June 24th, 2008: Courter Films joins Rockefeller Agricaltural Scientists' Reunion
Rockefeller Foundation alumni and friends
gather for group photo
Courter Films joined the Rockefeller Foundation
Agricultural Sciences alumni for their recent reunion—this year in Ithaca, NY. A number of key people—co-workers
with Dr. Borlaug, agricultural scientists, early movers and shakers in the fight against world hunger—were there.
Several associates who worked with Norman Borlaug during his early days in Mexico and later as the Green Revolution unfolded,
shared stories and experiences that help illuminate the drive and success of Dr. Borlaug, and the challenges and joys of daily
life for Margaret and their children in Mexico. The interviewees we filmed are pictured below: (from left to right
starting at the top): Guy B. Baird, Ralph W. Cummings, Jr, Takumi Izuno, Charles Mann, John J. McKelvey, Jr, Royse P.
Murphy, John A. Pino, Amy Richardson, Ralph Richardson, Connie Richardson, Robert W. Romig, and our energetic organizer, Mitzi
Schad.
 April 2008
We returned from Ciudad
Obregon, Mexico, having filmed Dr. Borlaug's visit and address for the official announcement of a new initiative to combat
the global wheat rust disease that has reached emergency levels worldwide.
Article in
Mexican newspaper, about Norman Borlaug visit, April 2008:
Phil Courter captures the mood of the late
afternoon sun over the experimental wheat fields at CIMMYT
|
