Fat Night at the Movies-Simons Foundation film

You say adipocyte, they say fat. Can cell biologists and the public find common language? Image courtesy of Two Turtle Productions

You can BYOP (bring your own popcorn) but you might change your mind about the butter after seeing a special premiere at ASCB 2016 on Monday, December 5, of  “A Brief History of Fat.” It’s a new 20-minute film by veteran TV news and documentary producer Elliot Kirschner and director Adam Bolt for Two Turtle Productions with support from the Simons Foundation. The film is billed as an experiment in science storytelling, the first of a trio of films on diabetes from Two Turtle Productions and the Simons Foundation. The films will soon be distributed online.

According to the producers of “A Brief History of Fat,” the film “challenges its audience to rethink fat by delving into the surprisingly fascinating biology of why we have it, how it works, and how it may make us sick. It also offers a fresh take on science programming for the public, by experimenting with innovative narrative techniques and high-art production, while still digging deep into the cell biology that makes the story so compelling to begin with.”

The producers sought an ASCB audience for the premiere because they see the film as a springboard for a larger conversation about how best to effectively communicate esoteric research to the broader public. The Monday night premiere, which is free to attendees at ASCB 2016 in San Francisco, starts at 7:00 pm with a welcome from Simon Atkinson, chair of the ASCB Public Information Committee (PIC), and an introduction by Boyana Konforti, the Director of Education and Outreach for the Simons Foundation.

After the screening, filmmakers Kirschner and Bolt will join two PIC members with a strong interest in video storytelling, Jagesh Shah and Janet Iwasa, for a discussion and Q&A. Greg Boustead of the Simons Foundation will moderate the program in Room 104 of the Moscone Center.