The Real Dirt on Farmer John
By
An interview with Illinois organic farmer John Peterson, subject of a bold, award-winning documentary
The new documentary film The Real Dirt on Farmer John – in production for nine years and now winner of 15 grand jury and audience awards in film festivals across the country, and garnering an explosion of interest in Europe and in other nations — is a biopic set in the black soil of Illinois. It’s about a farmer, John Peterson, who does what he is expected. He takes over the task of putting in the crops after his dad passes away, and in so doing, keeps the land that his grandfather purchased in the early 20th century in the family name.
Unfortunately, Farmer John has two things going against him: his artistic, long-haired friends from college who drop in to paint and create drama and have fun on the property (they scare the rural neighbors), and the economy. The growing suspicion of outsiders by the community gets ugly, and potentially dangerous, but it’s not half as bad as the devastating blow Peterson suffers at the hands of an agricultural economy, which makes it increasingly difficult for small, family farms to survive. John reaches the breaking point.
No comments:
Post a Comment