Film Review by Lisa Rosen
The title alone conjures up a biblical vision of tranquil harmony. Nature at its most pure and innocent. The first images of The Garden may be more prosaic, but they nonetheless support that idea. A man, weathered by the years and by physical labor, wakes up before dawn and makes his way to the South Central Garden, 14 acres of farmland in the middle of an otherwise blighted section of downtown Los Angeles. He works a plot of land quietly and patiently. It is soon apparent that his labors and those of his fellow farmers sustain more than just the body, they soothe the spirit.
The views of the farm from the sky are beautiful, even shocking, surrounded as it is by buildings and city streets. Closer shots, of myriad fruit trees and vegetables, are mouth watering.
The backstory unfolds, and we learn that this patch of green came about as one good result of the aftermath of the horrific Rodney King verdict and subsequent L.A. riots. A woman named Doris Bloch founded the park in 1992 as a way to bring something positive to the community. The land had originally come into the city’s possession as a result of eminent domain, purchased from owner Ralph Horowitz in 1986 for $5 million. It was set to be the site of an incinerator, but a community activist named Juanita Tate successfully battled City Hall to prevent such a pollution source in the midst of a poor neighborhood.
Director Scott Hamilton Kennedy shows the farmers working their plots and discussing their crops with pride, and almost as if by happenstance, his camera comes upon the beginning of a battle. The city has agreed to sell the land back to Mr. Horowitz, in a private negotiation that is arguably illegal. So in 2004, after 12 years as the largest urban community garden in the country, the property is to be turned into warehouses. Horowitz’s attempt to evict the farmers with two months notice sets in motion the story of a group of mostly Latino laborers learning how to organize and stand up for themselves in court and in the public eye.
As with his first documentary, OT: Our Town, Kennedy lets the camera pick up the information subtly, and counts on the audience to follow. And what follows is a riveting story that recalls another biblical tale – David and Goliath – as the farmers work together to try to fight off the takeover. The legal battle is just the half of it. Many twists take place, including political intrigues, power grabs among unexpected characters, and an internal battle among the farmers as their frustration mounts. A year or so into the fight, famous actors start visiting to lend a hand, including Darryl Hannah, Danny Glover, and Martin Sheen. Willie Nelson dances with a camera as funds are raised to try to buy the land. An appearance is rumored from a presidential candidate. Sure enough, Dennis Kucinich comes to add his support.
As riveting as the story is, there are a few moments that pass a bit quickly. I would have liked to learn more about Doris Bloch, who is introduced for only a moment as the garden’s founder and then is never heard from again. And some of the events that take place – the fight in the farmer’s camp, an accusation of anti-Semitism from Ralph Horowitz as the reason for his intransigence – aren’t given any context. It leads to a sense of bias that detracts from the story; the rest of the tale is told with a complexity that I appreciated. And without giving it away, the final shot of the farm is somewhat misleading, as a visit to the South Central farmers website will divulge. That said, it is a well paced, nail-biting film played out on its verdant fields. As one activist points out, the miracle isn’t necessarily the outcome of the battle, but that the farmers took a stand to fight at all. And it is clear to any viewer how important the stakes are. (Also without spoiling the end, there is still a battle being waged; for those interested in helping, go to www.southcentralfarmers.com.)
The film was released for one week last year to make it eligible for Oscar consideration; it was indeed nominated for the award. Now is the chance for everyone else to see the film, as Oscilloscope Laboratories released it on DVD on August 18th, 2009. The purchase itself has an ecological story behind it: Oscilloscope’s DVD packaging is created using 80% post-consumer waste content, produced in a plant powered by hydroelectricity.
