There is a pretty good chance that unless you're from Tennessee, you're not quite familiar with the name Zac Adams.

No, I'm not talking about Zac Brown.

Zac Adams is an independent filmmaker who was born in Baton Rouge, but he transplanted himself to the Nashville, Tennessee area to attend Watkins Film School. Since graduating, Adams has increasingly become known as one of the indie world's more social-minded and compassionate filmmakers and is actively using his voice and his talent in an effort to make the world a better place. He's an award-winning screenwriter and his PBS mini-series Southern Haunts delves into the mysteries of some of the south's most haunted placed and stories. In 2011, he responded to the horrific flooding that hit Nashville by directing Nashville Rises, an inspiring documentary about the community's truly rising up from that disaster. The film was narrated by none other than Billy Bob Thornton. I first became familiar with Adams' work with 2008's The Bell Witch Legend, just one in a long line of films in which Adams expertly brings entertaining and intriguing stories to life.

With Hunger in America, Adams again brings his social conscience to life by crafting an informative and moving film about an entirely preventable disaster that continues to plague America's most vulnerable citizens - hunger. Narrated by Desperate Housewives star James Denton, Hunger in America further expands on Adams' well documented ability to take a story and make it feel really, really personal. While a lot of the information contained in Hunger in America is rather basic, at least for those of us familiar with the issue, it's the way the information is presented that makes the film an effective documentary.

Adams incorporates both fact and features along with the customary interviews, such as with Tom Henry, the founder of Feed America First. Henry is an eloquent speaker on the subject and the mission of Feed America First, essentially built upon a foundation of "neighbors helping neighbors," appears to be consistent with how Adams has approached this film and his own efforts to make a difference.

Adams has always had a knack for choosing his interview subjects well and such is the case in Hunger in America. Largely focusing his camera on those actually doing something about the issue, Adams has crafted a film that provides great information and the inspiration one could need to actually choose to do something about it.

The film features original music from Gary Corbett and top notch lensing from D.P. Mike Stryker. Hunger in America is produced by both Adams and Tim VandeSteeg with Joel Hahn serving as executive producer on the film.

Hunger in America is just getting its start on the film festival circuit and should have no problem finding a home on the indie film fest and social justice film fest circuit. For more information on the film, visit its website linked to in the credits on the left or be sure to visit its Facebook page.

© Written by Richard Propes
The Independent Critic