Bozeman Magazine

On Thursday, April 25th, at 7pm at the Emerson Center, The Bozeman Doc Series wraps up its fifth season with the Montana premiere of the critically acclaimed new documentary The Biggest Little Farm. A testament to the immense complexity of nature, The Biggest Little Farm follows two dreamers and a dog on an odyssey to bring harmony to both their lives and the land. When the barking of their beloved dog Todd leads to an eviction notice from their tiny LA apartment, John and Molly Chester make a choice that takes them out of the city and onto 200 acres in the foothills of Ventura County, naively endeavoring to build one of the most diverse farms of its kind in complete coexistence with nature. The land they’ve chosen, however, is utterly depleted of nutrients and suffering from a brutal drought. The film chronicles eight years of daunting work and outsized idealism as they attempt to create the utopia they seek, planting 10,000 orchard trees and over 200 different crops, and bringing in animals of every kind– including an unforgettable pig named Emma and her best friend, Greasy the rooster. When the farm’s ecosystem finally begins to reawaken, so does the Chesters’ hope – but as their plan to create perfect harmony takes a series of wild turns, they realize that to survive they will have to reach a far greater understanding of the intricacies and wisdom of nature, and of life itself. The Biggest Little Farm world premiered at the Telluride Film Festival to widespread critical acclaim, and has gone on to screen at major festivals around the world. “Stirringly admirable…a film that naturally inspires by virtue of the participants’ industriousness and an optimism that refuses to be quelled…genuinely involving and heartening.” The Hollywood Reporter “Inspirational…enlightening…audiences are invited to connect with the material as they might a good James Herriot story, forging a kind of familiarity that includes them in problem-solving each challenge, with the result that viewers share in the triumph of each tiny success.” Variety “There is always that little sleeper hit film in Telluride, the one you randomly keep hearing about that has stolen the hearts of the audiences. This year, the honors belong to the uplifting documentary The Biggest Little Farm.” Film Journal Doors open at 6:30pm. Tickets are available at the door or before the show at Cactus Records and Movie Lovers. Tickets are also available online at www.bozemandocseries.org. This is the final screening of the season. The Doc Series will return this October to kickoff Season Six.