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Brought to life by Castle Frame Pictures and filmmaker JC Ralls, The Green Edifice is a three-part cinematic investigation into the global food system, how it was built, who it serves, and the hidden costs shaping our future.

This series offers an unprecedented look at the structures, industries, and beliefs that have shaped humanity’s relationship with food. From the origins of civilisation to the modern era of overconsumption and misinformation, The Green Edifice challenges everything we think we know about what we eat-and why it matters now more than ever.

The Green Edifice is a three-part documentary series uncovering the hidden architecture of our global food system, how it began, how it broke, and what it means for our future. Told through sweeping cinematics, world-leading experts, and a non-graphic, story-driven lens, the series redefines what we think we know about food, civilisation, and the forces shaping our choices.

PART I - The Seeds of Civilisation

How food built us-and how the story was rewritten.

The series opens in the Neolithic era, where groundbreaking archaeological research challenges long-held myths about early human diets. Far from the violent, meat-dominated past we imagine, new evidence suggests our ancestors relied far more on plants—grains, wild pulses, roots, and gathered foods that fuelled brain development and community life.

Experts from UCL, Butser Ancient Farm, the John Innes Centre, Reading University, and the University of the Basque Country guide us through a world built not on endless hunting, but on cooperation, cultivation, and the dawn of bread.

This is the forgotten foundation of civilisation—one that reshapes how we understand ourselves.

PART II - Edible Empire

When consumption became a system-and we became its product.

In the present day, The Green Edifice exposes a system in crisis.

Overconsumption, chronic disease, ecological collapse, and a food industry driven by profit over nourishment.

Through cinematic storytelling and unflinching clarity, we follow the rise of industrial agriculture, corporate greenwashing, influencer misinformation, and the political forces that keep us consuming.

Interviews with Changing Markets, health professionals like Dr. Ishani Rao, and global researchers reveal how modern diets contribute to deforestation, water scarcity, collapsing biodiversity, and overwhelmed healthcare systems.

This is not a story about individual blame-it is about the machinery behind our plates.

PART III - Vegolution

What happens if we change-and what happens if we don’t.

The final chapter looks ahead. Through science, innovation, culture, and compassion, we explore what a resilient food future could look like, from regenerative crops and plant-powered regions, to equitable food access and redesigned food systems worldwide.

We ask the defining questions of our generation:

What becomes of us if we continue as we are?

And what becomes possible if we choose differently?

Rather than fear or restriction, Vegolution offers something far more radical: a vision of reconnection, abundance, and hope.

The Roots of The Green Edifice

THE GREEN EDIFICE TEAM

Dr. Melanie Joy PhD

THE GREEN EDIFICE PRESENTER
Dr. Melanie Joy is an internationally renowned psychologist, author, and speaker, known for her groundbreaking work on the psychology of food, relationships, and social transformation. In The Green Edifice, she guides viewers through the history and future of our food system with clarity and compassion, helping to unpack why we eat the way we do, and how those choices impact our health, our planet, and our collective future.
A Harvard-educated psychologist and bestselling author of Why We Love Dogs, Eat Pigs, and Wear Cows, Joy has spoken in over 50 countries and is the recipient of several international awards, including the Ahimsa Award and the Peter Singer Prize. She is also the founding president of the organisation Beyond Carnism.
Originally from Boston, Melanie now lives in Berlin with her husband, Sebastian Joy.
More at melaniejoy.org
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JC Ralls

WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
THE GREEN EDIFICE ‍ ‍
JC Ralls is a UK-based documentary filmmaker and founder of Castle Frame Pictures. With a background in broadcast and independent production, he has worked with Sky TV, the BBC, Screaming Eagle Productions, and Floating Harbour Studios, specialising in films that explore sustainability, travel, and political movements.
In The Green Edifice, his first documentary, now a three part series, JC blends science, history, and cinematic storytelling to explore how our food choices affect our health, our planet, and our future. A long-time vegetarian, he approaches the subject with curiosity, creativity, and a sense of humour that has shaped much of his work even the early short films he now hopes remain buried online.
More at castleframepictures.com
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Peter J Robinson

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR/PRODUCER
THE GREEN EDIFICE
Peter J. Robinson is the founder of Screaming Eagle Productions and The Review Magazine. With a background in cinematic brand storytelling and luxury publishing, Peter has produced campaigns and editorial features across film, travel, property, and high-end lifestyle sectors. He joins The Green Edifice as a Producer and Assistant Director, supporting the creative vision and production of the film with his extensive industry experience.

Peter joined The Green Edifice team in July 2025 to assist in bringing the documentary to life through to completion.
More about Peter’s work:
www.screamingeagle.co.uk
www.thereviewmag.co.uk
Spike Miilar

SOUND RECORDIST / AUDIO SUPERVISOR - THE GREEN EDIFICE

Spike Millar is an emerging force in contemporary sound recording, with experience spanning documentary, factual entertainment, narrative shorts, and commercial campaigns. Having worked both on set and within post-production teams for major reality television programmes and digital studios, Spike brings a refined technical skillset and a strong narrative instinct to every project he touches.
Equally comfortable in controlled studio environments and unpredictable field locations, Spike’s work is defined by precision, clarity, and an instinctual understanding of how sound shapes emotion and story. His background in post-production audio gives him a unique dual perspective, capturing clean, dynamic production sound while anticipating the needs of the edit and sound mix.
Spike joined The Green Edifice team in September 2026, quickly becoming a core contributor to the film’s immersive sonic landscape. His calm professionalism on set, combined with his commitment to environmental and socially conscious storytelling, make him an invaluable part of the production.
Andrea Turrini

COMPOSER / MUSICIAN - THE GREEN EDIFICE
Andrea is an Italian singer, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist whose work spans studio recording, live performance, and original composition for film. With experience collaborating on multiple albums and projects across Europe and North America, Andrea brings a rich blend of musicality and storytelling to every score he creates.
In 2017, he toured Canada and the United States with Il Paradiso degli Orchi, expanding his international profile and refining his cinematic style. As a solo artist, he has released two albums under the moniker Sven Jørgensen — On/Off Generation (2018) and Memories of a Summer (2024) — both showcasing his atmospheric, emotionally driven approach to music.Andrea joined The Green Edifice as a composer in 2025, crafting original pieces that echo the series’ themes of transformation, connection, and environmental awakening. His distinctive melodic style adds depth and resonance to the documentary’s evolving narrative.

Meet the experts changing the future of food

Nusa Urbancic

CEO of the Changing Markets Foundation, Nusa appears in The Green Edifice to expose the widespread greenwashing tactics used by major corporations, particularly within the animal agriculture industry. Her work and that of her team play a key role in uncovering how misleading sustainability claims are shaping consumer choices and delaying real change.
Trevor Creighton

Archaeologist- Butser Ancient Farm.
An expert in his field, Trevor brings invaluable insight into how Neolithic communities transitioned from hunting to farming. In The Green Edifice, he challenges the myth that early humans were primarily meat-eaters, showing how ancient diets were far more plant-focused than we often assume today.
Dr. Ishani Rao

GP - NHS England
A medical doctor and public health advocate, Dr. Ishani Rao appears in The Green Edifice, She explores how meat and dairy-heavy diets are straining healthcare systems like the NHS and US insurance models. With clinical insight, she shares practical, plant-focused advice for improving both personal and public health.
Professor Jonathan Jones

Group Leader at the Sainsbury Laboratory,
Jonathan is one of the world’s leading plant scientists. In The Green Edifice, he highlights the urgent need to reduce animal agriculture to achieve true sustainability, while also showcasing groundbreaking research to combat crop diseases, including efforts to eradicate blight and prevent future potato famines.
Vanessa Sturman

A plant-based health educator and behaviour change specialist, Vanessa appears in The Green Edifice to challenge food misinformation and explore how our diets affect both personal health and the planet. With a focus on accessibility, she offers practical solutions for shifting to healthier eating habits in a world dominated by processed food and conflicting advice.
Peter Emmerich

Researcher at the John Innes Centre, Peter Emmerich shares groundbreaking work on developing crops that are more resilient to drought, flooding, and disease, without relying on pesticides. His contribution to The Green Edifice highlights the science behind building a more sustainable, secure, and climate-resilient food future.
https://www.jic.ac.uk/