The Interceptors

Every year across Canada we waste over $31 billion of food, yet shockingly in British Columbia 1 in 9 households are considered food insecure. Waste occurs throughout the supply chain and although many businesses are concerned about the problem, they often do not have the means to coordinate food rescues and so their food ends up as landfill. But in Vancouver, a group of passionate volunteers are using innovative technology to coordinate small food rescues on a huge scale. The Interceptors is a short film documenting this diverse group of inspiring individuals, who are using their free time to build community and food security in British Columbia. The first of its kind in Canada, these volunteers are using an app that allows them to operate like the UBER of food rescue. By reducing the barriers to surplus food donation, these volunteers are facilitating small donations which together make an enormous impact. Over the past 18 months alone, the group has managed to provide over 280,000 meals for families across Vancouver. Our film will follow food waste as it travels this amazing new network. Along the way we'll meet eccentric store owners who are delighted to be able to donate their waste, generous geriatrics using their retirement to ferry food and creative chefs who cannot bear to see food wasted. Behind the scenes will show how multiple rescues are coordinated simultaneously, with the back-end team supporting, problem solving and rewarding the incredible efforts of the volunteers. As we dive into the network's incredible culture, the daunting reality of food waste, and the importance of community we will paint a very human picture of this technology enabled network. Once the food has been collected we'll head into prep kitchen where the magic happens. Vancouver chef TJ Conwi is head of the remarkable team tasked with transforming these unwanted waste foods into something extraordinary. To turn these waste ingredients into a mouthwatering medley for hungry families he must be creative, innovate, and think out of the box. Part magician, part chef, for TJ no day is ever the same and he loves the challenge of transforming these disparate, unwanted ingredients into something delicious, nutritious and truly appreciated. TJ's team is a group of professional chefs, who all lost their jobs to the pandemic. Having all worked in hotel kitchen's they're used to producing large scale dining of the highest quality, but this new set of ingredients is testing their skill and ingenuity. A diverse group they lean into each others cultural heritage and skill-sets they always rise to a challenge. So when 100kg of cabbage comes through the doors they'll get to work making Kimchi from Korea or Sauerkraut from Germany, testing themselves and introducing the final recipients to exciting new dishes on a weekly basis. We'll feel the heat in the kitchen as this crack team of creative chefs goes down to the wire to deliver the meals on one of their prep days. What will come through the doors and how will they deal with the ingredients? We'll see their incredible team work, hard earned skills and the beauty of the meals they produce for people who are truly in need.