**By: Louisa Moore / www.ScreenZealots.com** _This film was screened at Fantastic Fest_ On the surface, the documentary “A Life on the Farm” seems like an innocuous story of a loner farmer with a penchant for shooting his own home videos. That’s why filmmaker Oscar Harding was surprised that when his grandfather died, he left behind a videotape from longtime neighbor Charles Carson. Curious and confused, Harding gave the VHS a watch. What he saw was a home movie that felt a bit like a horror story, resulting in this disturbing and fascinating found footage documentary. Charles appeared to live a mostly normal, quiet life tending to cows and growing crops on his rural Somerset, England property. What nobody knew is that he had a penchant for making his own movies. Charles would act like the host of a bizarre farming variety show, capturing disturbing aspects of his life for posterity. The grainy videos are nothing short of mesmerizing, funny, and horrifying, from the untimely death and ritualistic send-off and burial of his beloved barn cat to graphic shots of a cow’s birth that includes a close-up view of the heifer’s placenta. Charles offered a glimpse into the real life world of a farmer, a processional with its own set of problems. Crops die, animals pass on, yet the circle of rebirth and growth continues. After exploring even deeper, it doesn’t take long to understand that the outlet Charles used to deal with these emotional rollercoasters of life was filmmaking. Harding digs into the family history of the Carsons, from their original purchase of the property to the more touching moments about Charles and his relationship with his mother. This leads to a section on grief which is surprising and tender, including shots of old photos the man took with his parents and pets (both while they were alive and dead). Charles was drawn to the idea of this cycle of life, but the film will leave you with one question: was he a genius or a psychopath? This film leaves it up to the viewer to decide, and the line isn’t as clear as you’d hope. Harding relies heavily on actual footage from the videotape to tell his story, but breaks up the documentary with a series of talking head interviews with camcorder enthusiasts and other fans of Charles’ home movies. The film often shows something that you may wish you could unsee, yet you cannot look away. “A Life on the Farm” ends with one of the most perfect finales ever: Charles, wearing a kilt and playing a makeshift instrument, cavorting about in a field full of wandering chickens. This oddball documentary is a beautiful celebration of an eccentric life well lived.
In this animated documentary, Los Angeles filmmaker Dion Labriola recounts his all-consuming childhood quest to contact his teen idol, Ike Eisenmann - and the magical turn of events that led him toward his goal (some 40 years later).
Movie Star Rating : 0 Read More
The father of American mondo cinema returns to his favorite genre for a final THIS IS America film! Pornstars entertaining war veterans at Vegas, gun conventions, war games and firepower shows, the cremation of Satan Claus, mating animals, sorority house atrocities, redneck fights, ninjitsu training, elderly citizens fighting muggers, drugs, sleazy entertainment, cops VS street gangs, limousine escort services, bank robberies, custom lethal weapons, sex in public, big city morgues, Nazi & white power organizations! This catalogue of sleaze should not be missed! See America EXPOSED in its totally uncensored form!
Movie Star Rating : 5.6 Read More
Said to be deadliest great white shark of all time, Submarine is a 30-foot shark that has terrorized the shores of South Africa for decades. Locals believe this shark is responsible for countless fatal attacks, but its existence has never been proven.
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The documentary about Zhu Xiaoguang, a man came to Beijing with the dream of being a director, he used his DV to record all these happiness and sadness in Beijing...
Movie Star Rating : 0 Read More
On a cold February morning, 12-year-old Niki and his family arrive at the Kharkiv metro station to take shelter from the terrifying war raging outside. For Niki's family, daylight is synonymous with mortal danger, and the boy is not allowed to leave the station premises, living under the constant glow of their neon lights. While aimlessly wandering around the abandoned cars and full platforms, Niki meets Vika (11), and a new world opens up to him. As their bond strengthens, the children find the courage once again to feel the sun on their faces.
Movie Star Rating : 8 Read More
Leonie’s dream is to become a pig farmer, just like her parents. She wanders happily around the farm, helping out in any way possible. She tends to the pigs, and is present from the fertilisation of the sows to the moment the truck leaves for the slaughterhouse. The family farm teaches her about the circle of life. However, new laws on nitrogen emissions have undermined the economic viability of the farm, and bankruptcy looms. Together with her cat Skeet, Leonie watches the last pigs disappear from the farm, and she realises that her dream of becoming a pig farmer might not come true.
Movie Star Rating : 10 Read More
Friends and admirers of iconoclastic film director Sam Fuller read from his memoirs in this unconventional documentary directed by Fuller's only child, Samantha.
Movie Star Rating : 6.6 Read More
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