Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox, a critically acclaimed documentary about uniting mankind– one bottle of soap at a time–directed by Sara Lamm, will be released on DVD November 20.
Lamm says, “This is a dramatically charged father and son story that illuminates the mystery behind one of the great enigmas of the modern green movement Dr. Bronner’s iconographic soap label and its myriad of meanings.”
The film captures four generations of soapmakers and an inspiring if also bizarre legacy of the countercultures favorite eco-friendly cleanser.
The DVD, which has eco-friendly packaging, includes an exclusive interview with Dr. Bronners grandson, David Bronner, president of Dr. Bronners Magic Soaps, as well as a short docu about the companys fair trade olive oil project with Israeli and Palestinian farmers.
With a background in multimedia performance art and radio docus, Lamm moves the story back-and-forth between archival ootage of Dr. Bronner and recent digital video of 70-year old son Ralph Bronner as he carries out his fathers messages of hope for a unified world.
The feature, which previously screened theatrically in U.S. cities, including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, Portland, Seattle and St. Louis, had its national television premiere in July on Sundance Channels THE GREEN series from Robert Redford.
The film features archival footage of Dr. Bronner (1908-1997) and fourth wife Gladys Bronner, late son Jim Bronner (who died from cancer in 1998) and the late Eldridge Cleaver of the Black Panthers. Current footage shot by Lamm and Andrew Nagata features son Ralph Bronner, grandsons David Bronner and Mike Bronner (VP, Bronners Magic Soaps), and Trudy Bronner (Jims widow), among others.
The film is produced by Zachary Mortensen and Cheri Anderson, executive produced by Matt Aselton and edited by Katy Finch with original music by Pierre DeGaillande.
The DVD is available exclusively on the films website, www.magicsoapbox.com, for $25.00, and will also roll out in select retail locations throughout the winter season.
Synopsis
Dr. Bronners Magic Soapbox is an offbeat documentary about a socially responsible company and the family that runs it. Dr. Emanuel Bronner was a chemist, third generation master soapmaker, self-proclaimed rabbi, and, allegedly, Albert Einstein’s nephew. In 1948, he invented Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soap after escaping an insane asylum and hitchhiking to California. The peppermint-infused, all-natural, multi-purpose liquid is the #1 selling soap in American health stores and one of the best-selling organic soaps in the world (with 6 million units sold per year). On each bottle, Bronner printed an ever-evolving set of teachings called The Moral ABC, designed to unite mankind and spaceship Earth.
Dr. Bronners Magic Soaps
Founded in 1948 by Dr. Emanuel H. Bronner (1908 1997), Dr. Bronners Magic Soaps is sold in over 10,000 stores and is the #1 selling certified organic soap in North America and Japan. The company is still owned by the same Bronner family that has been making soap for 150 yearsgoing back to Germany where Dr. Bronner was born. The company is well known for its liquid peppermint all-purpose pure castile soap, the “ALL-ONE” tag line, and a blue and white label, featuring over 30,000 words across six labels, meticulously chosen by Dr. Bronner to promote co-existence and unite mankind. Sons Ralph Bronner and Jim Bronner joined the company in the 1980s, and today grandsons David Bronner and Mike Bronner are at the helm, selling 6 million bottles of soap per year. The $18 million dollar Escondido, CA-based Company practices Constructive Capitalism, donating 70% of its net profits to environmental and social projects that span the globe. (www.drbronner.com)
