The first night of Field & Screen takes a varied look at the most prevalent source of our food—the farm—and the unexpected cultures that surround it.

In The Gleaners and I, French filmmaker Agnès Varda and a small crew travel through France to investigate the world of “gleaners”—those who survive by gathering the food left behind by farmers after harvest and their contemporary descendents. Narrated by Varda, the film is a beguiling essay on poverty, thrift, and the curious place of scavenging in French history and culture. This is one several intriguing film essays Varda has made in recent years, continuing a body of work that dates back to the emergence of the New Wave in the 1950s and 1960s. (82 mins., 35mm)

Without any voiceover, interviews, or overt point of view, Our Daily Bread vividly reminds us where our food comes from by examining the depersonalized, often barbarous world of industrialized agriculture and food production. Geyrhalter’s beautiful cinematography provides a stark contrast to the environments he depicts—a sterile abattoir, a pesticide-doused field of sunflowers, or an assembly line covered with baby chicks. (92 mins., 35mm)

Tonight’s program begins with Fridays at the Farm, a charming film about the joy one family experiences by participating in their community-supported farm. (19 mins., video)

Our Daily Bread begins at 8:50 PM.

Now What?*
After The Gleaners and I and Our Daily Bread, you can find out how to get started in changing your own food habits with brief presentations from Local Matters. Each offers ideas about how you can take immediate action on specific issues related to that film. Local Matters is a central Ohio not-for-profit that works to promote good nutrition, increase access to healthy, delicious local foods, and advocate for more equitable food policy.

Attending this event? Let your friends know and RSVP on Facebook.