Review: Plant This Movie
Words: Emma Rawson

Urban farming – sounds like an oxymoron but around the world green-fingered urbanites are changing the word ‘city’ as being synonymous with the concrete jungle.
Plant This Movie explores the growing trend toward locally-sourced produce away from industrialised horticulture systems. ‘Local’ food may now come from a rooftop garden in New York City. The film challenges Western perceptions of food production and discusses how this has changed over time: Manicured lawns are commonplace urban backdrops these days but before the 1950s grassy backyards were rare as a great amount of urban land was dedicated to growing food.
Different farming systems around the world demonstrate the possibilities; from plantations in abandoned housing lots in Cuba to bucket drip gardens in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa designed to support families affected by HIV AIDs, these show that those with next to nothing can produce a lot even in the most hostile of environments.
Indeed, a quarter acre section is no longer a prerequisite to growing your own food, argues filmmaker Karney Hatch, who funded this film through a Kickstarter campaign.
The film highlights many small-space farming options including hydroponic window farming for apartment dwellers and an American organisation which is converting the lawn grass on front lawns into thriving veggie patches.
Narrated by actress and environmental activist Daryl Hannah, this documentary feels a tad theatrical in its construction at times, but it’s an eye-opening film that will inspire viewers to don gardening gloves and get growing no matter how small their patch.

Four stars our of Five

Plant this movie is screening as part of the Resene Design and Architecture Festival

AKL: Fri 6 May, 5:15pm / Sat 7 May, 4:00 pm

Mon 9 May, 7:05 pm / Sun 15 May, 12:00 pm

WGTN: Mon 30 May, 5:40 pm / Fri 3 June, 2:10 pm

Sun 5 June, 3:20 pm

DUN: Sun 19 June, 10:45 am / Mon 20 June, 6:50 pm

Wed 22 June, 12:50 pm / Sat 25 June, 10:00 am

CHCH: Fri 1 July, 2:30 pm / Tue 5 July, 7:45 pm

Jun 10 July, 3:15 pm