Lee Davies spreads word about veganism through a mouth-watering documentary
The vegan dishes featured in Shelley Lee Davies' documentary Planeat look so delicious that they had viewers craving a plate of greens. The Hong Kong-born, London-based filmmaker hosted a private screening on Thursday at the Academy for Performing Arts in Wan Chai.
The film investigates the impact of a meat-based diet on human health and the environment. It features interviews with researchers and illustrates just how mouth-watering vegan dishes can be.
Lee Davies, an Oxford University graduate and former news producer, spent about three years working on the documentary. It has shown in 90 cities in the United States, and in Britain it was endorsed by former Beatle Paul McCartney.
It all began when a friend cooked Lee Davies a vegan meal and she decided to look deeper into veganism.
'I converted to vegan overnight,' she said. 'After learning about the studies [that had been done on the subject], I felt there was no point eating meat.' She quit her job and flew to the United States to interview the researchers. 'I wanted to give something back, to tell a story that could make a difference,' she said.
The film's internet homepage includes a collection of vegan recipes contributed by the chefs featured in the film.
Any tips for wannabe vegans? Lee Davies said: 'I cook at home every day. It's harder when you go to eat out but you can start asking [for vegan dishes at restaurants], then people realise there is a demand.' The film is available for streaming online and DVDs are also available on the website planeat.tv
