Facts

Dole Food Co. Inc. filed a lawsuit against Swedish filmmakers Frederick Gertten, Margarete Jangard, and their production company, WG Film for defamation. The filmmakers made a documentary on Dole's treatment of its workers and pesticide use in the film entitled "Bananas!*".

The film portrayed the events surrounding a trial that took place in Los Angeles in which Nicaraguan banana workers sued Dow Chemical and Dole for its use of a pesticide that causes sterility.

Defendants filed an anti-SLAPP motion against the company arguing that the documentary was an exercise of the right of free speech.

Result

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge granted defendants' anti-SLAPP motion and found that the film accurately and fairly portrayed the events. The Court struck the lawsuit with prejudice and ordered Dole to pay attorney fees and costs in the amount of $199,959.25.