Farmland Movie  a Home Run

Farmland Movie a Home Run

The movie Farmland was completed in early March 2014, and on May 1 hit theaters nationwide in a limited run. It is a documentary about six young farmers from around the country and their daily lives in their own words. It was directed by Academy Award-winning director James Moll. Last week it was shown in Boise. I caught up with one of my favorite Idaho ranchers Jessie Thompson who saw the movie and is willing to be my impromptu movie critic.
Thompson: “I can honestly say that Farmland is in my top three favorite movies.”
That is high praise indeed. As I asked if it was better than Man from Snowy River — one of my ALL time favorite movies. Which if you haven’t seen it — put it on your list as well. She said it was just as good in a different way. She continues.
Thompson: “I don’t think I’ve ever felt that many emotions in a 80 minute period. I laughed, I cried. I was frustrated. I was elated. When I walked out of the theater I felt a such a sense of pride to be a young member of agriculture. It was definitely a home run.”
Thompson says that while it was very uplifting it also demonstrated that farmers and ranchers are the same as their consumer counterparts.
Thompson: “Everybody needs to see it because I think it gives the perfect look at the life in agriculture. It shows the hardships that we all go through. It also shows all of the successes that we have. I think that it helps remind people that the only thing different about people in ag versus than the general population is our vocation. We go to raise families, we go church,we have backyard BBQs. There is nothing that they do that we don’t do. Sometimes I think that the consumer forgets that — that when it comes right down to it — we are just like they are.”
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