An impact comedy slated to be released in March is setting a new standard in socially conscious filmmaking. Vegan production house VegGood Films announced this week that all proceeds from its upcoming feature release “Coffee Wars,” which stars British actress and musician Kate Nash, will be donated to environmental and animal welfare charities.
Veganism and animal rights are at the center “Coffee Wars.” The comedic story of a vegan barista Jo (Nash) who overcomes long odds to compete in the World Barista Championship while serving dairy-free lattes, Coffee Wars highlights the punishing environmental and moral effects of using of dairy products in coffee while promoting options like oat and almond milk as delicious, guilt-free alternatives.
In addition to Nash in the lead role, the film stars Saoirse-Monica Jackson, Toby Sebastian, and Owain Arthur.
The donation of the film’s proceeds will be made through Foam Capital Charitable Trust, which represents the film’s financiers, according to a press release from VegGood Films.
“Our society simply cannot continue to consume planet-crippling dairy products, especially as plant-based alternatives, such as the ones featured in our film, are readily available, healthy for our bodies and the planet and, most importantly, delicious,” said executive producer Jay Karandikar. “We are 100% committed to this cause and are proud that our film’s proceeds will support organizations that are working to ensure the health and sustainability of the planet.”
In between the acerbic comedy bits that feature Jo and misfit her team up against champion barista and dairy milk proponent Rudy (Toby Sebastian), “Coffee Wars” reminds viewers of the significant environmental toll associated with farming dairy products and the animal abuse and mistreatment that consuming these products perpetuates. Viewers learn, for example, that many cows in factory farms are artificially inseminated to induce regular milk production.
“‘Coffee Wars’ brings pressing issues to a global audience in a laugh-out-loud comedic way,” said Nash. “It invites viewers to challenge their beliefs about what it means to be an ethical consumer and the overall environmental impacts of their purchases.”
“Coffee Wars” comes as the environmental impacts of dairy milk consumption begin to mount. The BBC, for example, found that some 7,000 square feet of land is required to produce one gallon of dairy milk—more than 10 times the amount of land required to cultivate a glass of oat milk, one of the many dairy-free alternatives for which “Coffee Wars” advocates.
For the film industry, “Coffee Wars” could set a new standard for mission-driven productions. Production companies have rarely donated the entirety of a given film’s proceeds to charity. Most recently, all proceeds from “The Promise,” a 2016 film starring Oscar Isaac about the Armenian Genocide, were allocated to charitable causes. Few films have committed to such a goal within the animal welfare space, however, presenting “Coffee Wars” the opportunity to help establish a new precedent.
The film will be available to stream on iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play in late March.
