The biofuels documentary “Fields of Fuel” made its debut this week at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah to mixed reviews.

AFP reports that the biodiesel film is “not to everyone’s tastes at Sundance.” The reviewer, who interviewed film director and activist Josh Tickell, focused on the food versus fuel controversy rather than the film itself, saying “not everyone is buying into his (Tickell’s) message.” The review discusses both biodiesel and ethanol, brings up the energy bill and quotes an economist saying that ethanol is causing higher food prices.

CNET News reporter Michelle Meyers offers a better review of the movie itself, noting that it “received a long standing ovation at its first public screening” Monday.

In the film, director Josh Tickell tells the story of his life as an activist pushing for the use of biodiesel and other alternative fuels in an effort to reduce our dependency on foreign oil and protect the environment.

I tend to be wary of advocacy docs for fear they’ll be feature-length brainwashers. But Tickell’s film is fair, honest, informative and–a biggie for me–nicely edited. And I suppose it was convincing, too–it got me thinking about buying a car with a diesel engine and I went online to find the nearest biodiesel fuel pumps.

MTV also gives the film a good review with a liberal light, although it does confuse biodiesel and ethanol.

If you are a fan of “An Inconvienient Truth,” “SICKO,” or any Michael Moore-esque film than you are going to love this film. It urges the power of the vote, the power of change, and the power of you. You have the momentum to make certain small changes that can impact this world. We are currently in a war where most Americans think it is for the control of oil. This film just gives the voice that this war is not needed and we do not need oil – we can use bio-diesel fuel made from corn, wood chips, algae and alleviate the pressure we put on this earth. Final say: watch the film, learn from it, and make it happen.