The Garden (2008/I)

User Rating:

9.0/10   

Director:

Scott Hamilton Kennedy

Writer:

Scott Hamilton Kennedy (writer)

Genre:

Documentary

Plot:

From the ashes of the L.A. riots arose a lush, 14-acre community garden, the largest of its kind in the United States. Now bulldozers threaten its future.

Plot Keywords:

Oscar Nom 2009

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 1 win & 1 nomination

US Showtimes:

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Cast

Danny Glover	...	Himself
Daryl Hannah	...	Herself
Antonio Villaraigosa	...	Himself

Runtime:

80 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Black Valley Films

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 81st Annual Academy Awards (2009) (TV)

Buying the farm

This film tells the story of the South Central Farm, and the fight to save it. Following the riots (rebellion?) in 1992, a large section of land in the middle of Los Angeles is given over to local residents to start a community farm. More than a decade later, the man who originally owned the land gets it back. This happens in what can only be described as a VERY questionable way, involving backroom wheeling and dealing between local politicians. They privately sell out the farmers while publicly speaking about how wonderful they are.

If this already sounds pretty outrageous, from there the story spirals increasingly into crazy land. There is the competing community organization that battles the farmers. Then the contest goes to court, where different judges rule in completely opposite ways. Then farmers attack each other with machetes. At the last minute, the developer offers to sell the farm for millions, and the farmers make a mad dash to raise the money - and succeed. Then come the celebrities, who bring national attention to the cause during its final days. I won't give away the ending, even though it's a matter of the history books.

The focus here is less about the grassroots activities of the farmers than it is an examination of the shady workings of local government and its politicians. While it certainly documents the life of the group, including community outreach, marches, benefit concerts and even their internal disputes, the film most centrally tells of the court battle and underhanded dealings of those in power. Their lawyer gets as much face time as any activist.

This institution-centered focus is most apparent in the final conflict. While similar documentaries play up the dramatic images of protest and confrontation with police, this film actually shies away from, downplays even, these scenes. We get little indication of the scale of the final fight and the dozens of activists who were arrested. It's debatable whether this is a fault or not.

Sadly, the moral of the story is that who your politician friends are is much more important than any support from "the people" you may have. The good guys and bad guys are clearly defined, even to the point where menacing music plays whenever one "evil doer" is on screen. If you don't know the right people who can make things happen, you are in trouble - no matter how righteous your cause.

Unfortunately, the film itself is also proving this point. The documentary does not currently have a nationwide distributor, and it is only showing here and there at local screenings. Hopefully it will get some audience on DVD or cable. It deserves it.