we started production on our latest film~ who will feed us? ~ back in the winter of 2018. there was some measure of momentum after we’d released the trailer for farmers for america which had gone ‘documentary viral’. the excitement had landed a couple of keynote speech invitations, including one at an agricultural conference in nebraska. remember vividly the moment who will feed us? germinated.
there was an impromptu post-conference screening of farmers for america at a cafe in lincoln called ‘the hub’ and during the q & a, decided to invert the typical format. instead of fielding questions from people in attendance, i asked the questions.
crystal, a dairy farmer, when asked of the general state of our nation’s agriculture shared she was afraid we were losing the ability to feed ourselves. surviving as a small producer was brutal, and if we didn’t change course soon, farming would go the same way manufacturing did, over oceans, out of sight and unaccountable. her sentiment was met with universal nods.
this would be the next film, and the title manifested soon thereafter~ who will feed us?
overly confident from the brief brush with documentary virality, it seemed logical that this film would be relatively easy to make. we’d dive into production for a year or so, and then premiere at polyface farms during the mother earth news fair in the summer of 2020. after two financially successful films, we had a system down. this would go like clockwork.
typing this almost eight years later, as we rapidly approach our premiere (december 30th!), can’t help but chuckle at my initial foolishness.
a film is a thing of its own. follows its own path, makes its own demands. reveals itself only when ready. when the fermentation process is complete. some grow grapes, others make grape juice, and a select few cultivate a fine barrel-aged wine. not me.
this film is vinegar.
