The Garden (2008)

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Movie
Original title The Garden
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 2008
length 80 minutes
Rod
Director Scott Hamilton Kennedy
script Scott Hamilton Kennedy
production Black Valley Films
music Doug DeAngelis , Gabriel Tenorio
camera Scott Hamilton Kennedy
cut Alex Blatt, Tyson FitzGerald & Scott Hamilton Kennedy

The Garden is a 2008 American documentary directed by Scott Hamilton Kennedy . It is about the struggle for the urban garden area of South Central Farm . The Garden was nominated for an Oscar in 2009 as “best documentary” .

action

The South Central Farm was established by the city in 1992 after the 1992 riots in Los Angeles as a hope for healing of the wounds . The farm was run by Latino families and provided the pride and livelihood of hundreds of families . Towards the end of 2003 a notice was sent to the 347 farmers, in which the sale to the previous owner Ralph Horowitz was announced and they were asked to leave the site. As a result, there were demonstrations , hearings before the Los Angeles City Council and various legal proceedings that dragged on for over two years. In particular, the secret negotiations about the buyback were criticized - but the film portrays individual people, mainly the affected Latinos themselves. Supporters are also shown, including politicians, such as City Council member Tony Cardenas and the then mayor of the city Antonio Villaraigosa who have favourited Activists and Actors Daryl Hannah and Danny Glover .

The old and new owner Ralph Horowitz does not appear personally in the film, but is quoted as saying :

“I have a large mortgage , real estate taxes, liability insurance - all of the costs and expenses that any home owner has. I do not want to appear heartless, but I have no remorse to use this land as it is intended. "

Finally, the police operation on June 13, 2006 is shown, which ends with a complete evacuation of the area.

production

Scott Hamilton Kennedy began to be interested in the story of the South Central Farm in the winter of 2004, from then on he accompanied the events of the sale to Ralph Horowitz up to the leveling of the site. Kennedy said: "[M] y heart went to the garden, my heart went to the farmers who started this place, because this was a perfect example of 'give a man a fish, teach a man to fish he eats for life." ( My heart came to this garden, my heart went to the farmers who founded this place - because this was the perfect example of 'give a man a fish and he has to eat for a day; teach a man to fish, and he has food for all his life '. )

reception

"From that David and Goliath setup, filmed in a straightforward style on a shoestring budget, emerge fascinating character studies that underscore both the best and worst of human nature."

"Out of this David and Goliath situation, filmed in direct style with a budget by a thread, character studies emerge that underline this and the worst of human nature."

- Ernest Hardy

"Justice and Corruption and Profit are abstractions, and film is so ill suited to deal with abstractions. Nothing is less abstract than food and land and people, things "The Garden" gives us in winning abundance. It's the abstractions determining their fate that the viewer wants more of. "

“ Justice and corruption and profit are abstractions , and film [as a medium] is so unsuitable to deal with such abstractions. Nothing is less abstract than food and land and people, things that 'The Garden' gives us in a winning abundance. It is the abstractions that have a decisive influence on the fate [of those affected], from which the viewer wishes more. "

- Mark Feeney

Film awards

Won
Nominations

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Reed Johnson: The could be Oscar gold Scott Hamilton Kennedy's 'The Garden' - Documentarian likes to focus on underdog stories. , Los Angeles Times website, February 22, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  2. ↑ a b Mark Freeney: The Garden - 'Garden' grows with emotion , Boston.com , May 22, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2017.
  3. ^ Ernest Hardy: Victory in Fighting at All for Farmers of The Garden , The Village Voice website, May 6, 2009. Retrieved January 21, 2017.