"A powerful film that educates, inspires, and advances the fight
for environmental justice." -Darren Aronofsky
“The smell of money”—that’s what Big Pork calls the stench of pig waste in the air in eastern North Carolina, where much of the world’s bacon and barbecue is made. But to Elsie Herring and others who live near the state’s giant pig factories, the revolting odor is a call to battle against generations of injustice.
When a corporate hog farm moves in–uninvited–on land her grandfather had purchased after claiming his freedom from slavery, Elsie Herring decides to fight back. But as her rural community becomes the epicenter of the pork industry’s explosion in America, Elsie’s struggle to save her family’s home and heritage turns into a battle against one of the world’s most powerful companies and its deadly pollution.
After decades of intimidation and defeat, Elsie and her community team up with a gutsy small-town lawyer to take the world’s largest pork company to court. An epic, nine-year legal battle ensues, and the residents risk everything to reclaim their rights to clean air, pure water, and a life free from the stench of shit.
A story about the power of love for one’s family and community to triumph over even the largest forces of injustice, The Smell of Money calls upon viewers to see the people behind what's on our plates––and to join the fight for a better future for us all.
LA Times - Screen Gab Newsletter - Guest Spot
Indiewire - Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara Will Pay for You to Rent Environmental Doc ‘The Smell of Money’
MSNBC’s PoliticsNation with Al Sharpton - Interview with The Smell of Money Filmmakers
Essence - This Company Is Polluting A Predominantly Black Town With Pig Manure. And The Government Is Making It Easier For Them To Do It
Civil Eats - The Food System Is Having a Big-Screen Moment
Film Threat - The Smell of Money Featured, Reviews Film Threat
Loud and Clear - The Smell of Money: Film Review
Movie Nation - Documentary Review: The “Fixed Fight” with Big Pork in Eastern N.C. — “The Smell of Money”
Variety - Doc Distributors Rail Against Worsening Inequities in the Race for Oscar Gold
The News & Observer - With help from celebrities, a film spotlights NC’s hog farm conflicts
YES! Weekly - Award-winning documentary probes a North Carolina controversy
Tallahassee Democrat - Environmental racism stinks in heart-wrenching 'Smell of Money'
The Guardian - The Smell of Money: inside the fight to take on ‘unbelievable’ pig farm pollution
Deadline - Stars Show Support For ‘The Smell Of Money,’ Doc Exposing North Carolina’s Hog Waste Horrors
The Hollywood Reporter - Oscar-Winning Duo Behind ‘Two Distant Strangers’ Launch “Unreasnble” New Company
The Hill - Booker says pork industry ‘puts all of us at risk’ in new Kate Mara-produced documentary
People - Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara Support Kate Mara's Documentary The Smell of Money in Los Angeles
Veg News - Why Joaquin Phoenix Wants You To Talk About This Movie With Everyone You Know
Plant Based News - New Film Explores The Human Impact Of North Carolina Pig Farms
Nuvo - Indy Film Fest 2023: The Smell of Money
The Washington Informer - D.C. Environmental Film Festival Returns in Person, With Big Names on the Lineup
Roll Call - The environmental, agricultural and moral stakes in ‘The Smell of Money’
PaperCity Magazine - 5 Must-See Films at the Dallas International Film Festival
Veg News - Kate Mara’s New Documentary Exposes Environmental Racism of Factory Farming
Green Matters - Produced by Kate Mara, 'The Smell of Money' Doc Highlights Environmental Racism of the Pig Industry
Hot Docs - Hot Docs Audience Awards Top 20 & Rogers Audience Award Winners
Variety - How Kate Mara and Famous Pals Inspired a Filmmaker to Finish His Documentary About a Battle Against Big Pork
She Does the City - 6 Must-See Environmental Documentaries at Hot Docs
Vox - How Black North Carolinians pay the price for the world’s cheap bacon
Collider - Kate Mara and David Lowery Producing Documentary About 1980s Anti-Pork Movement
Deadline - Kate Mara & David Lowery To Executive Produce Documentary ‘The Smell Of Money’
Shawn Bannon - Director / Producer / Cinematographer / Editor
Shawn Bannon is an award-winning filmmaker whose films have screened at the Sundance Film Festival, AFI FEST, and featured on The Atlantic, Forbes, and BBC America. His short films, Hurricane Heroes, Bloody Barbara and A Ghost Story – 10 Pages, have all been selected for Vimeo Staff Picks. His recent film The Green Knight Documentary was made for A24 and premiered on iTunes. The Smell of Money is his first feature-length documentary.
Jamie Berger - Writer / Producer
Jamie Berger is a documentary filmmaker, writer, and activist born and raised in North Carolina. Her writing has been featured in Vox, The Guardian, USA Today, NowThis, The News & Observer, and more. Throughout her career, she has used writing and visual storytelling to draw attention to issues ranging from environmental racism to the climate crisis to other injustices wrought against people, animals, and the planet. The Smell of Money is her first feature-length documentary.
Travon Free - Executive Producer
Travon Free is an Academy, Emmy, and Peabody Award-winning writer, producer, director, and comedian from Compton, California. His writing credits include Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, The Daily Show, and Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons. Travon produced the Emmy award-winning 38 at the Garden and directed BS High which premiered at the 2023 Tribeca Film Festival.
Kate Mara - Executive Producer
Kate Mara is an actor and film producer known for her role in the Netflix political drama House of Cards. Most recently, Kate starred in and executive produced the hit Hulu miniseries A Teacher.
DeRay Mckesson - Executive Producer
DeRay Mckesson is a civil rights activist focused primarily on issues of innovation, equity and justice. As a leading voice in the Black Lives Matter Movement and a co-founder of Campaign Zero, DeRay has worked to connect individuals with knowledge and tools, and provide citizens and policy makers with commonsense policies that ensure equity.
David Lowery - Executive Producer
David Lowery is a filmmaker whose movies include A Ghost Story, The Green Knight, and the upcoming Peter Pan & Wendy.
Martin Desmond Roe - Executive Producer
Martin Desmond Roe is an Academy and Emmy Award-winning director, producer, and writer. His credits include Two Distant Strangers, Buzkashi Boys, Tom vs. Time, and Kobe Bryant’s Muse. Martin is the founder and creative head of the production company Dirty Robber, which specializes in elevated documentaries.
Michelle Cho - Co-Producer
Michelle Cho produced the short film, Indigo, starring Joaquin Phoenix. She is Founder and Principal at Purposeful Seeding & Strategy, a social impact consulting firm specializing in development and strategy. For nearly 20 years, Michelle has guided non-profit organizations and cause-driven brands while counseling talent on philanthropic activity and charitable giving.
Jenn Murphy - Co-Producer / Assistant Editor
Jenn Murphy is a producer and editor whose work has been featured by Now This and at festivals including Hot Docs and Fantastic Fest. Jenn produced two editions of Werner Herzog’s Rogue Film School, and she has worked with AFI FEST, AFI DOCS, Cinema Eye Honors, Film Independent Spirit Awards, Los Angeles Film Festival, and Sundance Film Festival.
Dr. Tyson-Lord Gray - Consulting Producer
Dr. Tyson-Lord Gray is an environmental attorney and law professor. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Ethics from Vanderbilt University and a J.D. from Elisabeth Haub School of Law. He has worked with numerous organizations on issues pertaining to animal rights, climate change, and environmental justice.
Jason Pollard - Consulting Editor
Jason Pollard’s involvement in the film industry began as a young child when he accompanied his father, acclaimed film producer/editor Sam Pollard, to different edit rooms as Sam magically turned strips of celluloid into complex and wonderful stories. Since graduating from New York University’s Film/TV program he has edited many acclaimed documentary films. He recently co-edited Louis Armstrong’s Black and Blues for Apple TV and co-produced, co-directed, and co-edited Ol’ Dirty Bastard: The Tale of Two Dirtys for A/E.
Curtis Heath - Composer
Curtis Heath is a critically acclaimed composer from Fort Worth, Texas. He has worked on TV series for HBO, Showtime, and PBS and has scored over 50 films including Miss Juneteenth, 1985, Hellion, More Than I Want To Remember, Old Man & the Gun, and Ain’t Them Bodies Saints.
Khamani Hagood - Composer
Khamani Hagood is a Los Angeles-based composer and sound designer. Originally from southern Illinois, he has written the score, contributed music, and provided sound design for film and television including Augustus, Bridgerton, Mrs. America, The Society, Black Monday, Raising Dion, and The Beauty President.
