Another film that I highly recommend if you are into cinematography. It is a story that follows a couple, their dog and a dream for a better life. The struggles they overome will have you on the edge of your seat. Great movie teaching about the balance and dance of nature. I am upset one of the main characters, Todd, is not on the movie poster. - Cooper
So, the Biggest Little Farm is really pretty - and if you are looking for a film full of sun and that “wow plants are magic” feeling during this really stressful time- this movie is the right one for you! However, if you go into watching this film cognizant of race or class, you will be disappointed. The viewer is stunned by the (frankly, glorious) cinematography as land once denigrated by conventional farming comes to life through agroecological methods, but not once does the film address how difficult it is for many folks to access land; specifically farmers of color who continue to face lender discrimination as well as indigenous folks who have been dispossesed of their land. Moreover, the film worships the older-white-man-spirit-guide relied upon for his -farming knowledge- and while this guy seems super neat, he by no means invented agroecology! In fact, many of the methods relied upon in the film have been utilized by indiegnous folks for centuries (Chinampas- a form of agroecology- are still productive today, represent 2% of the world’s biodiversity, and were first deployed by the Aztecs!). Ultimately, this is a great relaxing film if you want to watch a really cute dog run around a gorgeous sustainable farm for an hour and half, just make sure you read up on the actual cost of agriculture for those not as privileged as the [whitest] little farm afterwards.
- Sophie
Helpful Links!
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1619 Podcast, an NYT project about the legacy of slavery with some great episodes on the burdens faced by black farmers. Available wherever you listen to podcasts!
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Read Farming While Black by Leah Penniman or check out Soul Fire Farm
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Check out La Via Campesina to see the awesome work on food, seed, and land sovereignty peasant and indigenous folks are engaged in
Learn more about agroecological sites that exist throughout the world here