Learn and Live film series Feb. 20: 'Food Stamped'

KANNAPOLIS —The North Carolina Research Campus announces the continuation of the Learn and Live Film Series in 2012 with showings of “Food Stamped” on Feb. 20 and “Living Proof” on April 16.

Both movies are free and will be shown at 7 pm in the events room of the David H. Murdock Research Institute at the NCRC. Each movie will be followed by a discussion led by NCRC scientists and community partners.

“Food Stamped” is an hour-long documentary that follows Shira and Yoav Potash as they take the Food Stamp Challenge of eating a healthy and well-balanced diet on a food stamp budget, which equates to $21 per week or $1 per meal. The experience takes them from shopping trips and discussions about rationing their weekly food allotment into the policies and politics of the food stamp system.

The movie “Living Proof” is based on the 1998 book, “The Making of Herceptin, A Revolutionary Treatment for Breast Cancer,” by Robert Bazell. The movie, which was released in 2008 on the Lifetime Network, follows the true story of Dr. Dennis Slamon, a UCLA oncologist and researcher. From 1988 to 1996, Slamon developed Herceptin (trastuzumab) as a treatment for breast cancer and continued working with the drug through clinical trials. The movie stars Harry Connick Jr. and a cast of other noted actors like Angie Harmon, Swoosie Kurtz, Bernadette Peters and Amanda Bynes.

The Live and Learn Film Series started Oct. 24, 2011, which was National Food Day, with a showing of the movie “Forks Over Knives.” The series is designed to inspire a community conversation about health and nutrition. Additional 2012 dates will be announced later this year.

The North Carolina Research Campus in Kannapolis is home to eight universities as well as corporate, government and non-profit partners all focused on research into human health, nutrition and agriculture to prevent, treat and cure disease. The David H. Murdock Research Institute is the NCRC’s flagship organization that serves scientists on and off campus through its six laboratories, scientific equipment and customer-focused research services. For more information, visit www.ncresearchcampus.net.