'Pistachio Wars' (2025) Review: Cracking Open the Truth Behind a Billionaire Empire
- Romey Norton
- Sep 30
- 3 min read
By Romey Norton- September 30, 2025
Documentary
What Is Pistachio Wars About?
Pistachio Wars is a hard-hitting investigative documentary directed by journalist Yasha Levine and filmmaker Rowan Wernham, with Adam McKay (Don’t Look Up) serving as executive producer.
At just 74 minutes, the film peels back the glossy branding of The Wonderful Company, owned by billionaires Stewart and Lynda Resnick, whose pistachio empire is built not just on nuts, but on California’s most contested and limited resource: water. Probably the most important thing we need to survive as humans on this planet. This documentary looks into how a billion-dollar industry is jeopardizing this precious source for the sake of money.
What begins as an investigation into a seemingly small water deal between a farmer and a desert town expands into a sweeping look at how agribusiness, politics, and foreign policy collide. The film draws startling lines from industrial pistachio farming in California to oil industry ties, chemically tainted irrigation water, and even geopolitical maneuvering with Iran, one of America’s biggest competitors in the pistachio trade. The film shows the behind-the-scenes of agriculture; the power, influence, and how corporations shape our environment and foreign policy.
Levine serves as investigator and guide, piecing clues across dusty towns, corporate boardrooms, and government corridors. Levine and Wernham avoid jargon, making complex water policies understandable while still exposing their devastating implications. With real footage from council meetings, which includes lawyers, you get a true insight into the fight behind this nutty case. To learn how tap water is undrinkable, and the causes for wildlife is eye-opening and frightening. Hearing this from firsthand accounts of people living close by and their experiences gives this documentary gravitas, and as a human, how can you not care?
Visually, the film contrasts sweeping shots of parched California landscapes with the opulence of Beverly Hills, where the Resnicks reside in their mansion. The juxtaposition is sharp: the water-starved heartland against the luxury built on its depletion. It’s a very polished documentary - some of the shots of the landscapes are truly beautiful. Shots that most audiences won’t be used to or instantly think of when they hear California or Beverly Hills.
With climate change intensifying droughts and water scarcity, the film arrives as California’s water future hangs in the balance. There’s a great parody website I implore you to look at here: Pistachio Wars, which can show and explain more.
The short runtime means some viewers may wish the film dug deeper into the broader political landscape beyond the Resnicks. Certain threads, like the connections to U.S. foreign policy, feel provocative but underdeveloped. I feel there is so much more to say and do.
Is Pistachio Wars Worth Watching?
Pistachio Wars is a punchy, eye-opening documentary that reveals how something as simple as a nut connects to environmental collapse, political lobbying, and even international conflict. It’s a wake-up call cleverly disguised as a snack exposé. This documentary is essential for anyone who cares about where their food and their water really come from. Also, if you’re a fan of investigative journalism, this documentary shows you how it is done right!
Coming to VOD + Digital Platforms October 7, 2025, With One-Night Screenings in Various Cities across the US.
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