The Land, I Farm by Gary Marshall

A young farmer describes the challenges of rural isolation in this evocative short film.

This film is Rated by the BBC Fresh team. Rated films are those the team or guest reviewers enjoyed, and feel are worth highlighting because of their production techniques. Reviews may contain spoilers.

David Quinn, BBC Fresh researcher, says:

This is a film that stands out because of its topic. We didn’t have too many submissions that looked at rural issues. This one fits the brief especially well because it focuses on Howard’s experience of being a young adult in an environment that is probably fairly alien to many people watching. It genuinely sheds light on farming as a way of life, rather than simply a job, and presents a stark contrast to what the average city-dweller in the same age group would do on a day-to-day basis.

Filmmaker Gary has made some good editorial choices in the way he has arranged his footage. I liked the idea of dwelling on the role of the dog in the first part of the film. The “little companion”, while a crucial tool for a sheep farmer, is presented as Howard’s sole friend – a slightly bleak image that sums up the loneliness of the job! Throughout the film, the farmer is the only human we see, reinforcing the theme of isolation.

The interview is also cleverly handled, sometimes being more suggestive than explicit. The theme of being trapped begins to come through towards the end of the film in a way that is only hinted at. At around 4’20, it’s suggested that “home” and “work” are not separate notions for Howard, meaning neither offers release. And, in the final segment, “spending the rest of it here” – as his father did with his life – conjures images of endurance, rather than enjoyment, on the part of Gary’s subject.

Technically, the film is well shot, with some interesting handheld camerawork at certain points. I particularly liked the way the camera rotates around Howard at 1’33, showing his face in close up as he surveys his territory.

This is a film that is relatively unusual in the way it presents rural Britain. Gary seems to have made a conscious attempt to avoid the “green and pleasant land” clichés. The patter of rain drifts through loudly from the first frame and the viewer quickly becomes engulfed in a murky, challenging and rain-sodden place, where the colours are cold and the squelch of each boot echoes loudly.

Show less