Difference between revisions of "Film Review Template"

Revision as of 07:47, 19 May 2013

Film Title

Directed by Xxxxxxx Xxxxx, released in YYYY

Caption for graphic

link to official website for film if there is one

link to trailer if there is one

"The epic tale of a maverick Midwestern farmer. An outcast in his community, Farmer John bravely stands amidst a failing economy, vicious rumors, and violence. By melding the traditions of family farming with the power of art and free expression, this powerful story of transformation and renewal heralds a resurrection of farming in America." (angelicorganics.com)

• This documentary charts the journey of 'Farmer John' as he struggles to keep his family farm operating. Using 30 years of archival footage the filmmaker weaves together the intricacies of the changing farming culture, and how a new community lifted his farm into a thriving organic co-operative. As more and more farms fall to large industrial farming companies, or suburbia, this story stands as to the power of a small group of people who value organic farming enough to fight for it. While financial loss is a reality the gains have been in the creation of a tight knit community, strengthening the skills of organic farming and passing that education to the next generation.

• Farmer John using film to connect with his viewers allows him to invoke sympathy for difficulties that, as explained in the film, many local farmers had been experiencing as corporate farms were beginning to sprout up around the mid-west in the 1980’s. His performances, after losing hundreds of acres of land that his family owned, displayed his shortcomings and voiced to many farmers that they too could soon be facing the same ordeal. This film displays civic intelligence through his method of including others, such as interns or families invested in his community support agriculture. They are able to gain knowledge through practice in a positive way. Different skills were utilized amongst farming, English speakers and Spanish speakers helped each other learn their language, individuals with skills in construction helped to build the new farmhouse.

• Patterns
• Appreciative Collaboration (99)
• The Good Life (3)
• Community Currencies (63)