World Premiere of ‘Fear No Fruit’ Documentary to Screen March 11 at Cal Poly

Frieda Caplan, Queen of Kiwi

Cal Poly’s Center for Expressive Technologies, in conjunction with the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, will host the world premiere screening of the documentary “Fear No Fruit” at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 11, in the Spanos Theatre on campus. 

A panel discussion with director and producer Mark Brian Smith and documentary subject Frieda Caplan will immediately follow the screening.

“Fear No Fruit” explores the rise of Caplan, the first female entrepreneur of the Los Angeles Wholesale Produce Market. Caplan transformed American cuisine during the 1960s by introducing more than 200 exotic fruits and vegetables to U.S. supermarkets. Lovingly referred to as “The Queen of Kiwi,” Caplan introduced one of America’s most beloved fruits — the kiwi — to U.S. consumers.

Tracking the story of the now 91-year-old Caplan, “Fear No Fruit” takes viewers on a journey through her rise in the market economy and her tenacity to take her business to the next level by bringing in her two daughters to further the enterprise. The documentary climaxes at Cal Poly’s 2014 commencement ceremony, during which Caplan received an honorary doctorate.

The film tracks the growing business and the impact Caplan has had on American’s consumption of fruits and vegetables. Caplan, who has been compared to celebrity chef and close friend Julia Child, has won numerous awards and has appeared on KABC TV’s “The Green Grocer.” The documentary focuses on her inspirational feats as a business entrepreneur that defined a generation of food politics. 

Tickets are $10 for students and $12 for the public. Tickets are sold at the Cal Poly Ticket Office between noon and 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. To order by phone, call SLO-4TIX (756-4849). The first 50 students to email cet@calpoly.edu will receive a free ticket to the event.