OCTA

Written by Annabel Soutar
Directed by Chris Abraham

About the Show:
Think you know what’s on your plate?  Think again.
Centering on the four-year legal showdown between biotech giant Monsanto Inc. and Saskatchewan farmer Percy Schmeiser, SEEDS leads us through a high-voltage labyrinth of political maneuvering, patent wars, cash-fuelled science and the global domination of the planet’s seed supply.  A bold new documentary play by award-winning Annabel Soutar and director Chris Abraham; starring Eric Peterson (Corner Gas) as Percy Schmeiser.

In 2004 Annabel Soutar began to research the case of Monsanto Inc. versus Percy Schmeiser. Monsanto accused Schmeiser of growing their genetically patented Round-up Ready canola seeds on his property without paying the licensing fee they require. By taking us through a suspenseful labyrinth of legal conflicts regarding patent rights, scientific showdowns about GM food, and property clashes between farmers and the biotechnology industry – Seeds asks an essential question – can you patent a living thing? Or as Percy famously asked, “who owns life?”. This landmark trial not only brought this question before the Supreme Court, but also garnered Schmeiser attention from around the world.