Press

:: Read Press & Testimonials for Seeing Through the Fence below or download our Press Pack ::

Faculty

“Seeing Through the Fence is an excellent example of a documentary that stimulates thought and creates a context for discussing important issues.  Eleni Vlachos’s masterful skills in leading a discussion led to the most extensive student interaction I have ever seen with a visiting filmmaker.”  –Dr. David Whiteman, Professor of “Film, Politics, and Social Change” course, University of South Carolina

“This is the second time Eleni [presented her film at Valdosta] and the students loved it. Eleni is very thoughtful and engaging speaker…she is kind and persuasive. Students stayed engaged for two hours, which is uncommon for today’s standards. This alone speaks volumes of Eleni’s capacity to keep the dialogue interesting.” –Cristóbal Serrán-Pagán, Ph.D, Valdosta State University, Philosophy and Religious Studies Department

“Thank you for hosting the screening of your film for the philosophy club at the University of Kansas! I think it is an excellent piece of work, both as an instance of filmmaking in general and as a means to engaging with a range of ethical issues. I should also say that the film had a significant effect on me….” –Dr. Scott Jenkins, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Kansas, Lawrence

“Seeing Through the Fence was screened as part of our Sustainable Development film series, which explores issues concerning sustainable energy and agriculture. The film not only addresses the cruelty inherent in modern factory farms, but also how Americans can no longer sustainably afford to eat as they do today. The film provoked lively conversations and received great feedback from attending students. I highly recommend this film to other universities.” --Veronica Dristas, Outreach Coordinator for Global Studies, University of Pittsburgh

“First- THANK YOU for your gracious presentation.  I really enjoyed hearing from someone who took the time to listen to lots of perspectives.  It made the hard subject more accessible and more real.  I also really enjoyed watching how you met the students where they were.  I look forward to seeing what they write in their reflections.” --Dr. Julia Nerbonne, Professor of Environmental Ethics, University of Minnesota, St. Paul

“Thanks so much for your thought-provoking film…it has already provoked several conversations with colleagues today.” –Dr. Cynthia Steele, Chair, Department of Comparative Literature; University of Washington.

“Thanks very much for coming to UHD and screening your film…from all the reports I’ve received so far, the event was impressive and a success.  Some of my students have already been in touch with me to follow up on details from the film—and we’re on spring break!” –Dr. Joseph Westfall, Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Houston, Downtown

Newsmedia

:: R e v i e w s ::

“Seeing Through the Fence smartly peppers humor throughout…Vlachos serves up a vital and highly likable film…”  –The Feminist Review (New York, NY)

“Seeing Through the Fence accomplishes an impressive feat: It’s a  documentary about animals, food and veganism that will not only appeal to omnivores, but actually is quite often funny.  It’s not dour and earnest; it’s poignant and warm…” –Athens Banner-Herald (Athens, GA)

“A documentary with bite…Adding to the discussion of a truly balanced diet is Eleni Vlachos and her do-it-yourself picture, Seeing Through the Fence.
Using a handheld digital recorder, Vlachos traveled the country and abroad interviewing random people, taking a humor-infused, omnivore-friendly look at the world of vegans, vegetarians and the ethics of modern food production.”  –Style Weekly (Richmond, VA)

“Vlachos, armed with a hand-held camera and a mind full of questions, takes to streets, dog parks and pig sanctuaries, from Seattle to North Carolina to Greece. She questions passersby, friends and family about the rights of animals and the role of meat in their daily lives. It’s in these conversations between family and friends that the film finds its real voice. Here, Vlachos is less of a streetwise interviewer and more of a patient philosopher.”  –Independent Weekly (Durham, NC)

“I eat meat. Always have, probably always will.   So, why would I want to watch a documentary about vegans and vegetarians?   To see the different point of view that “Seeing Through the Fence” offers… the documentary flows through interviews with Vlachos’ family,  activists and people on the street. In this humorous pro-vegan documentary, Vlachos allows others to speak their minds…”  –LEO Weekly, Staff Picks (Louisville, KT)

“Seeing Through the Fence…is an earnest and relatively non-confrontational world view from a vegan’s vantage point. Above all,  Vlachos said, she wants her film to open up conversation about the choices we make when we buy food and eat.”  –Relish (Winston-Salem, NC)

“Armed solely with a mini-DV camera and microphone, Vlachos interviews vegetarians and meat eaters alike across the United States,  as well as in Greece, where her father currently lives. She interviewed fellow activists, family members and strangers.  For a documentary that condemns cruel practices of industrial poultry, beef and pork farming, Vlachos’ film is rather omnivore-friendly.   Although nearly half of the people she interviews enjoy eating meat, Vlachos never comes off as being pushy or confrontational during their discussions.” –Go Triad! (Greensboro, NC)


::  F e a t u r e s ,   H i g h l i g h t s ,   &   C r i t i c s   P i c k s   ::

Students & Audience

“Seeing Through The Fence possesses a humble and personal spirit that constantly seeks to actively engage all audiences—including omnivores—in a frank and open discussion about the current state of food sustainability and production in America.   Vlachos’ footage stands apart from the crowd primarily because it acknowledges a wide array of perspectives and tastefully refrains from the visual scare tactics…Instead of revolting an audience into accepting or rejecting a strictly black-and-white moral picture, Vlachos makes an admirable artistic effort to ponder the ethical gray areas of what is arguably a global food sustainability crisis.” –Jason Douglass, Yale Herald (New Haven, CT)

“Showcasing a wide variety of opinions from both vegans and meat eaters alike, Seeing Through the Fence was a truly eye opening event for both me and the members of the Drexel Sierra Club. The documentary showcased refreshing viewpoints from (forgive the pun) both sides of the fence give a nice broad view of the decisions we make everyday when we sit down at the dinner table….a must see for vegans and meat eaters alike.” -Stephen Wayland, President, Drexel Sierra Student Coalition (Philadelphia, PA)

“Humorous and thought provoking. This is the kind of movie I wish everyone would watch, because it can really make you think about the effects your diet has on the world.”  –Guilford Student via The Guilfordian (Greensboro, NC)

“I really enjoyed the film, the film maker and the materials that were available. The film maker should receive an award for that film. I loved it when the film maker said, “every meal is a choice.” This was a profound thought provoking statement that I hope to remember and apply.” –Attendee of Boston Veg Society Screening

“The aspects of environmental sustainability and the food we eat are intrinsically related, and Seeing Through the Fence did a wonderful job of bringing out this and many other important facts to people.” –Vinodh Valluri, Event Coordinator, The Environmental Society, University of Texas, Arlington

“I want to let you know that you totally changed my life!…I really just want to thank you so much for inspiring me to make the best decision of my life.” –Student at Valdosta screening (Valdosta, GA)

Comments are closed.

Subscribe to RSS Feed Follow me on Twitter!