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The Smell of Money
84-minutes
A century after her grandfather claimed his freedom from slavery, Elsie Herring and her rural North Carolina community fight the world's largest pork corporation for their freedom to enjoy fresh air, clean water, and a life without the stench of manure.
Screening day / time
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The Smell of Money

Filmmakers
Running Time
Feature Film
84 minutes
Genres
Documentary, Feature

The Smell of Money

“The smell of money”—that’s what Big Pork calls the stench of pig waste in the air in eastern North Carolina, where much of the world’s bacon and barbecue is made. But to Elsie Herring and others who live near the state’s giant pig factories, the revolting odor is a call to battle against generations of injustice.

When a corporate hog farm moves in––uninvited––on land her grandfather had purchased after claiming his freedom from slavery, Elsie Herring decides to fight back. But as her rural community becomes the epicenter of the pork industry’s explosion in America, Elsie’s struggle to save her family’s home and heritage turns into a battle against one of the world’s most powerful companies and its deadly pollution.

After decades of intimidation and defeat, Elsie and her community team up with a gutsy small-town lawyer to take the world’s largest pork company to court. An epic, nine-year legal battle ensues, and the residents risk everything to reclaim their rights to clean air, pure water, and a life free from the stench of shit.

A story about the power of love for one’s family and community to triumph over even the largest forces of injustice, The Smell of Money calls upon viewers to see the people behind what’s on our plates––and to join the fight for a better future for us all.

Film details
Year(s) screened
  • 2022
Subtitles
None
More information
Where to Watch
Festival screenings
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