We’re embarking on our next feature film, The New Peasants
It’s six years already since the release of our last feature film, Living the Change. Now we’re excited to jump back into the deep waters of another long-form film, and we’ve been pulled into it by one of our favourite families.
Our new 1-hour film, which we hope to release in December this year, showcases the lives of Meg, Patrick, and 11-year-old Woody. We’ll be exploring in depth this family’s rationale for choosing a life at the margins – at the radical end of simple living.
Why a feature film?
Our initial intention was a “revisit” – a short film checking back in on a family we filmed with first in 2017. That first film, Creatures of Place, has been watched over 2.4 million times on YouTube. Many people have asked to see more about this family’s way of life.
On beginning the short and seemingly straightforward shoot in February, the story that began to emerge was much bigger than we’d anticipated. Jord is currently living in a tiny dwelling on the property, and so he’s experiencing far more of the day to day life – the joys and the challenges, the tensions in living according to your ethics – than would normally be possible on a film shoot. This is such a luxury and a gift, for Jord to be deeply immersed in their lives and therefore able to capture their day-to-day not just with his camera lens but through the lens of his own deepening knowledge and insights.
At a time when so many of us are no longer feeling aligned with dominant cultural values, it feels right to focus on a family who are responding to the human predicament in such a profoundly thoughtful way. And to do so in a feature-length film ensures we are truly doing justice to this family’s story, their way of life and everything they’ve learned and are so generously willing to pass on to us.
We need your help to make this Happen!
We’re three months into shooting and editing begins in June. We’ve been able to cover costs so far with existing funds, but to complete the project we’re looking for philanthropic support or organisations able to help us raise AU$76,000. If we’re successful we’re planning to release the film with an Australia/New Zealand screening tour in December this year.
Would you like to support us in making this film? Do you know someone who could be in a position to support it?
Click on the link below to download a short funding information document.
