'French Fries' is an award winning film that documents the origins of Telluride's Biodiesel project, which resulted in the launching of the first city bus in the nation to run on 100% pure Biodiesel.
This funny and thought provoking piece is pure Telluride, Colorado, having been made by a local filmmaker and featuring a cast of colorful characters from around the region. 'French Fries' is the story about a guy, his truck and a bunch of used vegetable oil. This timely film is about an ecologically safe, renewable fuel, and follows 'the Granola Ayatollah of Canola' (a.k.a. Charris Ford) as he makes the rounds educating and inspiring folks in his veggie powered rig. Unlike many environmental films, this one really makes you laugh.
Charris gives the musical genre 'Eco-Rap' a lovable and compelling Hip Hop star of it's very own. Woodstock Musicians (fusing electric sitar, stand up bass, bluegrass and rap) help make this inventive sound track quite fantastic. Some of the musicians heard on this film have played in the famous '60s group 'The Band' and on some of Jerry Garcia's solo acoustic projects.
In addition to being thought provoking, Woodstock Musicians help make this inventive sound track quite amazing by fusing 'Eco-Rap', Electric Sitar, Stand-up Base, and Bluegrass. Heel stomping fun for the whole family with cameo appearances from Daryl Hannah, Dennis Weaver, and renowned physician Doctor Andrew Weil.
Awards: Telluride Mountain Film Festival Winner of MountainFilm's 'Best Environmental Film Award'
Credits: A film by Howard Donner Director/Editor: Dr. Howard Donner Director of Photography: Robert Murphy Screenwriter: Gabby Aratow Music: Roger Mason Cast: Charris Ford, Daryl Hannah, Roger Mason, Andrew Weil
Web Url: http://www.grassolean.com/
Film Date: 2003
Film Length: 15
Film Review(s): The Granola Ayatollah of Canola, aka Charris Ford, slides behind the wheel of his 1980 International Scout truck and turns the key. The truck burbles to life and off we go, cruising down the gravel roads that divide the aspen groves of southwestern Colorado's Horsefly Mesa. It would be just a standard evening joyride, except that Ford's truck doesn't run on gasoline. Or diesel. Or electricity, or even the sun. This truck is powered by grease, all of it drained from restaurant deep-fryers in the nearby resort town of Telluride. 'If you've got the french fry car, you've got to have the ketchup air freshener,' Ford declares. ~ excerpt from 'Better Living Through French Fries: Is Biodiesel The Fuel of the Future', Hal Clifford, The Grist, Aug 22 2002
