Nambucca’s own Rachael Ward and Bryan Brown release documentary about their farm Nambucca Valley Nambucca Valley - popup ad Nambucca Valley News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - July 20, 2023 Rachel’s Farm documentary comes to Majestic Nambucca cinema and Bowraville theatre hosted by Rachel, who will chat on stage with audiences after the film. ACCLAIMED actor and director Rachel Ward will participate in local screenings and question-and-answer events ahead of the general theatre release of Rachel’s Farm in August, a documentary about her foray into regenerative farming on her Nambucca Valley property. Rachel will be live onstage at Majestic Nambucca on Saturday 29 July at 4pm and Bowraville Theatre on Tuesday 1 August at 6:30pm. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au She will take the theatre stage after screenings of the film for a Q&A-style chat with the audience. Rachel’s Farm is an uplifting documentary following Rachel as she sets out to regenerate her Nambucca Valley beef farm, with the help of experts and neighbours. For many years, her property was a family retreat, conventionally farmed by Rachel’s neighbour, Mick. The 2019 Black Summer fires spared the farm, but the near-miss – and a first grandchild – set Rachel thinking hard about the future. She speaks of feeling the precariousness of the environment. These feelings ignited a path of thought about what impacts overgrazing, pesticides and chemical fertilisers were having on her farm. “How was her ecological ignorance impacting Australia’s rising temperatures, loss of topsoil and biodiversity,” she pondered. Through the documentary we see neighbour farmer Mick encourage Rachel to challenge established farming practices and take on a new approach which starts from the soil up. Far from being afraid of the hard physical work the project required, and continues to take, she says she loves the feeling of being exhausted at the end of the day, having worked on the land. Rachel’s language throughout the film and in interviews leading up to the screenings shows her dogged determination, as well as her joy at finding solutions. She is self-effacing, witty, raw and curious, all of which contribute to delivering a compelling tale of a woman on a mission to help save the world, starting on her farm in the Nambucca Valley. Rachel’s Farm is about the environmental threats we face, but it’s also the story of one woman’s resolve to tackle them head on, intent on making a difference. The film is showing in cinemas across Australia from 3 August with Q&A previews beginning in July across NSW, including the Nambucca Heads and Bowraville showings, before launching in the United States in September. The film is distributed by Madman. By Andrea FERRARI Rachel Ward with hubby Bryan Brown on their Nambucca Valley farm. The film documents Rachel’s journey as she sets out to regenerate her Nambucca Valley beef farm, with the help of experts and neighbours. Neighbour farmer Mick encourages Rachel to challenge established farming practices and take on a new approach which starts from the soil up. Kenny Walker, Gumbaynggirr Traditional Custodian and Founder of Gagu Land Services.
