Rockefeller Foundation "FOOD 2050" Documentary Explores Feeding a Planet of 10 Billion

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The Rockefeller Foundation, in collaboration with Media RED and Food Tank, yesterday premiered FOOD 2050, a new documentary narrated by Academy Award winner Viola Davis that sheds light on solutions to one of humanity's most pressing challenges: How to feed a global population of 10 billion people by 2050 in a nourishing, regenerative, and equitable way.

Created in partnership with Media RED, an award-winning Los Angeles-based studio, FOOD 2050 reflects The Rockefeller Foundation's century-long commitment to improving human wellbeing and decades-long work to nourish people and the planet. The film follows activists, scientists, agriculturalists, and entrepreneurs across five continents and eight countries who are pioneering solutions to challenges ranging from climate change and soil degradation to food access and nutritional quality. With more than 700 million people facing hunger globally and a changing climate threatening agricultural systems worldwide, the documentary asks: What will the world eat and who will we become by 2050?

"For over 100 years, The Rockefeller Foundation has worked to strengthen food systems and improve nutrition for vulnerable communities around the world," said Roy Steiner, Senior Vice President for the Food Initiative at The Rockefeller Foundation. "FOOD 2050 showcases the next generation of innovators who share our vision of a future where food both nourishes humanity and heals our planet. From Indigenous communities reclaiming traditional agricultural practices to scientists developing climate-resilient crops, these are the leaders who are transforming the way we grow, consume, and think about our food."

The premiere, which was co-hosted by The Rockefeller Foundation, Media RED, and Food Tank in Los Angeles, California, featured programming led by Danielle Nierenberg, President of Food Tank; a fireside conversation with Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli, President of the ONE Campaign and Board Member at The Rockefeller Foundation, and Marion Nestle, Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health, Emerita, at New York University; and a panel discussion with Matthew Thompson, Director of Food 2050; Matte Wilson of the Siċaŋġu Food Sovereignty Initiative; and Sara Farley, Vice President of the Global Food Portfolio at The Rockefeller Foundation, moderated by Gustavo Arellano, journalist at the Los Angeles Times. Academy Award winner Viola Davis, who served as narrator and executive producer of the film, also received the Food 2050 Global Humanitarian Achievement Award in recognition of her commitment to amplifying stories of global food security and human well-being.

"FOOD 2050 is just getting started," said Tom Leach, CEO and founder of Media RED. "After engaging global decision-makers and rallying major financial commitments, this year is about taking the message to the people and igniting grassroots momentum that can transform the global food system and impact millions of lives."

FOOD 2050 originated from The Rockefeller Foundation's Food System Vision Prize, which aimed to enhance the global discourse on food systems, empowering communities to devise specific, place-based, feasible yet inspirational blueprints for tomorrow and shape their own food futures. The film will next show in Park City, Utah during the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, as part of Food Tank's annual programming with plans for a larger impact campaign in 2026.

The Rockefeller Foundation has committed more than US$220 million to nutrition initiatives inspired by the food system visionaries, benefiting people, the planet, markets, jobs, and beyond. This includes a 'Big Bet' of US$100 million to advance universal locally grown and regenerative school meals both in the United States and around the world; a 'Big Bet' of US$100 million to advance Food is Medicine solutions in the United States; and more than US$20 million for the Periodic Table of Food Initiative, which is providing standardized tools, data, and training to map food quality of the world's edible biodiversity.

About The Rockefeller Foundation
Investing $30 billion over the last 113 years to promote the well-being of humanity, The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on unlikely partnerships and innovative solutions that deliver measurable results for people in the United States and around the world. We leverage scientific breakthroughs, artificial intelligence, and new technologies to make big bets across energy, food, health, and finance, including through our public charity, RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC). For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn, Instagram @rockefellerfdn, YouTube @RockefellerFdn, and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation.

About Media RED
Media RED is a high-impact creative and strategic studio based in Los Angeles, built to turn bold ideas into world-changing outcomes. Acting more like an advanced special operations unit than a traditional production company, Media RED partners with world-class brands, visionary startups, and global nonprofits to craft cinematic storytelling, lead transformative campaigns, and design strategies that accelerate growth, visibility, and valuation. Learn more at www.mediaRED.com

About Food Tank
Food Tank is the world's fastest growing global non-profit community working towards positive transformation in how we produce and consume food. As one of the food and agriculture movement's most dynamic conveners, we educate and collaborate with local partners to amplify on the ground solutions.

SOURCE The Rockefeller Foundation