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Earlier this month, I spent two extraordinary days filming a short documentary exploring women's farming journeys within the agroecology movement. I wrote this post to acknowledge the achievement and share some brief reflections on the process. 

To set the scene… It's October, approaching Halloween (or Samhain, as it's known to some). For many farmers and growers, the season is now very noticeably slowing down, and our energy and attention is turning inward as the month progresses. 

Some days have been fair, with dazzling shafts of sunshine slanting across the land, sending elongated shadows over browning piles of leaves and stands of dried-out seedheads. Other days have been overcast, hung with misty mizzle but eerily settled in a way that evokes both graveyard and temperate rainforest. Still others have seen heavy rainfall send wild water careening in demented rapids down impromptu waterways, over footpaths and slip roads. What an awesome time of year!

By an incredible stroke of fortune, the two days that filmmaker Jo Barker and I scheduled to shoot the 'Women back to the land' project's ecofeminist documentary film turned out to be both fair and settled. The first shoot day took place in Mid-Wales on Friday the 10th of October; the second in Sussex on Wednesday the 15th. Over these two days we were joined by four women who talked on camera about their farming journeys and allowed us to follow them on the land as they tidied, picked, packed, and generally dwelled in the Autumnal landscape, under direction from Jo and I. 

What I remember most about the day are my own feelings of excitement, anticipation, hope and trepidation in relation to these four women and the fleeting opportunity we had created to tell their stories through film. I had already listened to each of them narrating the ups and downs, episodes and anecdotes, of their farming journeys during research interviews over the past few years. However, each new telling opens the potential for new connections to be made - just as a different setting and context can close down others. 

Photo credits: Rachael Durrant

In practice, many things were said and acknowledged, whilst others were not. Some of these were very personal and took courage to say. Some were based in experiences that are common to many working in the sector and movement, though they are not often talked about. There was also laughter and a few tears were shed. 

Now that the shoot is done, the next stage will be the edit. Though I don't yet know which of the many moments will 'make the cut', my hope is that the film will capture some of the realities of women's farming journeys that are not often seen or attended to within mainstream media or alternative farming spaces. 

During the planning and production, my priority was to craft the film with tenderness and care, taking as much time as we could to generate a positive experience for the women whose voices and stories it seeks to uplift and share. And I was greatly aided in this process by the amazing Black Bark Films, who have lived up to their promise of working sensitively with patience, clear communication and empathy throughout.  

Watch this space for updates on the film in the new year.

The contributors remain nameless for the time being in order to allow them the opportunity to withdraw from the production without fear of consequence, up until the final cut has been reviewed and approved by all involved. 

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