The Grab 2024

As the cinematic spotlight shines on The Center for Investigative Reporting’s tenacious team of journalists, the audience is transported to a world where powerful forces are orchestrating a global power struggle over the most fundamental resources: food and water. A chilling tale unfolds as nation states react to the existential threat posed by climate change, employing coercion, economic manipulation, and illegal mercenaries to secure control of these vital assets.

The narrative commences with a seismic shift in 2014, when Chinese conglomerate WH Group acquired US-based Smithfield Foods, effectively wresting control of a quarter of America’s swine population from local hands. This pivotal event sets the stage for a series of enigmatic transactions, including the Saudi Arabian purchase of arid land in Arizona, Russian ranchers hiring American cowboys to till the frozen tundra, and Blackwater’s clandestine dealings to secure African territories.

As the camera zooms in on these seemingly disparate commercial arrangements, the phrase “following the money” echoes throughout, revealing a tangled web of connections between governments, corporations, and military entities. The filmmakers’ masterful detective work unearths a sinister plot, weaving together threads of economic manipulation, military might, and environmental desperation.

The film’s narrative is punctuated by a unique blend of archival research and collage-like imagery, which provides a visually striking backdrop for the investigation. However, the cinematic experience also includes moments of guerrilla filmmaking, where the crew’s persistence in the face of adversity culminates in tense confrontations, such as being denied access and detained at a Zambian airport.

Ultimately, the film presents a damning indictment of the global response to climate change, concluding that these seemingly isolated events are, in fact, coordinated responses to the existential threat posed by environmental degradation.