Farmland

Filmmaker James Moll's enlightening documentary looks at the endless burdens and occasional rewards of family farming in America. Focusing on several farming and ranching families in Texas, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and elsewhere, Moll is able to encourage hardworking people to open up about the complicated rhythms of trying to make a living from the land. Viewers hear about the risks involved with tying up one's immediate assets in next year's crops, the tax obstacles that make it both expensive and difficult to pass on a family farm from one generation to the next, and the challenges in trying to market organic crops and meat to a public wary of “all natural” claims. Farmland also touches on the pervasive disconnect between the food that we eat and our ignorance about its source. Combining valuable insights into the American food chain with inspiring profiles of strong individuals, this is highly recommended. (T. Keogh)