The Bright Land

This film brings a report from Jack Scott, a Vancouver newspaper columnist, about a United Nations-sponsored migration program in Bolivia in which icampesinos r--tin miners of the Andes mountains--are being moved from the desolate Altiplano to more fertile lowlands. We hear most of the story from one of the miners who describes the skepticism with which his people first met the ideas and what it eventually came to mean to them in terms of new dwellings, land to cultivate, and work to support their families.

This feature documentary offers a shocking look at the living and working conditions of Haitian agricultural laborers in the Dominican Republic. Each year, some 20 000 workers cross the border to cut sugar cane, lured by promises of good money. Instead, they toil up to 14 hours per day and live in unhealthy, cramped camps without running water, electricity, medical or educational facilities.

This short documentary profiles a 1949 meeting of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers in Guelph, Ontario. The IFAP plans to help solve the dire problem of world hunger—a problem sharpened by the birth of 55,000 more human beings, arriving "for breakfast," each day. Delegates emphasize the plight of the many nations who face starvation while others have a surplus of food. The conference challenges the world to succeed at implementing a proposed plan for the fair distribution of food.

Spring is the season for working the land and planting. Thanks to a cooperative approach and mutual aid, everything runs more efficiently.

In this short film, Halifax gardener Carol Bowlby harvests a mouth-watering crop from her small backyard plot. In considering soil quality, lack of space and a short growing season challenges rather than obstacles, she offers a wealth of practical growing tips for urban gardeners. By heeding Bowlby's advice, bountiful organic gardens work equally well on apartment balconies, in small or large city lots or in a rural setting.

Viewer Advisory: This film contains scenes of animal slaughter.

An emerging generation of farmers unites around a common cause: developing initiatives that favour sustainable and rewarding community-based agriculture.

Viewer Advisory: This film contains scenes of animal slaughter..

Fall has come: the harvest festival, hunting and butchering season. The village gets ready for winter. As ties between communities are strengthened, the Gaspé is changing.

Nature awakens and the food self-sufficiency project takes shape. Preserving the region’s ecosystem, however, demands awareness-raising efforts.

With a little bit of resourcefulness, people can confront the greatest challenges. And when the environment is under threat, a peaceful resistance springs to life.

With the right vision in place, the land has real potential. In farm fields or in the streets, strength in numbers matters above all.

A rural postman gives a lift to a returning World War II soldier. As they drive from the station to his home, the young man notices all the changes that have taken place during his absence. The film presents farmers' concerns while encouraging the purchase of Victory Bonds as a mean of saving for post-war needs.