Animation | 4:20 minutes | English

Synopsis
Breadbasket Blues is an animated short that explores the deep contradictions of California’s Central Valley—one of the most agriculturally productive regions in the world, yet home to widespread food insecurity, diet-related illness, and limited access to fresh, affordable produce.

Based on an acclaimed radio piece by The Kitchen Sisters (Davia Nelson and Nikki Silva), originally aired on National Public Radio, the animation translates powerful audio storytelling into vivid, hand-drawn scenes that bring the lived realities of the region’s residents into focus. Through layered sound design and expressive illustration, the film amplifies the voices of those navigating food deserts, fast-food saturation, and the socioeconomic inequities of America’s so-called "breadbasket."

The animation was created by students in the Documentary Animation course at University of California, Santa Cruz, under the direction of filmmaker and professor John Jota Leaños in the Film & Digital Media Department. This collaborative student work fuses documentary practice with experimental visual storytelling, crafting a film that is both socially urgent and artistically bold.

With themes of resilience, injustice, and community resistance, Breadbasket Blues gives shape to the emotional and structural weight of food inequality—while also celebrating the grassroots efforts of those fighting for food justice in one of the most fertile yet underserved regions in the country.

Credits

Animation by
Students of the "Documentary Animation" course
University of California, Santa Cruz
Instructor: John Jota Leaños

Audio Production
Original radio piece by The Kitchen Sisters (Davia Nelson & Nikki Silva)
Originally aired on NPR's Morning Edition

Special Thanks
Community members of California's Central Valley who shared their stories
NPR for the original broadcast