Press
"
Dryland is a both a raucous celebration of the culture of agriculture and an honest
look at the reality of family farming. The question at its premise, whether the
family farm can sustain the next generation, is a question faced all over this
country and one that is crucial to the future of the food system and our nation. I
know that
Dryland will be very well-received."
story of the family farm."
"Combine demolition derbies are a chance for farmers to blow off some steam by crashing old,
modified wheat combine harvesters into each other....But it turns out that combine demolition
derbies also work as wonderful narratives for telling the story of the family farm. Sue Arbuthnot
and Richard Wilhelm explore this theme in Dryland, a bittersweet, beautiful new film. It's the
best movie about coming of age and crashing combines you'll ever see."
Dryland, directed by Sue Arbuthnot and Richard Wilhelm, is a wistful documentary—lots
of long shots on beautiful empty fields, empty storefronts, empty streets, rusting
equipment—and rightfully so. The way of life it captures is contracting, ratcheting
in on itself, leaving small towns that are unable to support businesses, and schools
without students. The calculus that drives farmers off the land, and drives Dryland, is
simple and inexorable. Thanks for creating this profound work of art!
“Dryland does a remarkable job of capturing the heart and soul of two wheat farming families in
eastern Washington, displaying their passion for farming and their commitment to maintaining their
way of life. It provides an excellent opportunity for those of us not living on a farm to see firsthand
what it takes to be a successful farmer in today’s economy.”
Tom Davis, Washington Farm Bureau
“From the opening frame the new documentary, Dryland, brings us big vistas and large concepts. Dryland
reminds us that we all have the opportunity to live today with passion and do all we can to shape a future
that enhances the common good—whether in small towns in eastern Washington or big cities throughout this country."
David Leslie, Exec. Director, Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon
Screenings
March 26, 2015
Humanities Washington & Colfax Library
Screening and panel discussion
LaCrosse, Washington
March 18, 2015
Moscow Food Co-op
Moscow, Idaho
March 12, 2015
Monarch Mt. Café
Sandpoint, Idaho
March 10, 2015
Inland Northwest Food Network
Screening and panel discussion
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho
February 27th, 2015
Oregon Small Farms Conference
Screening and panel discussionCorvallis, Oregon
February 22th, 2015
SAGE Center
Boardman, Oregon
February 12, 13, 2015
University of Montana
Screening and workshop
Missoula, Montana
February 9, 2015
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival “Doc Shop”
Workshop: Batteries Not Included: One Film’s Approach to Indie DistributionMissoula, Montana
February 6, 2015
Spokane International Film Festival (SpIFF)Spokane, Washington
February 4, 2015
Spokane Ag Expo
Farm ForumSpokane, Washington
January 24, 2015
Northwest Film Center
Workshop: The New Documentary Ecosystem: Balancing Indie Ideals with Marketplace RealitiesPortland, Oregon
November 17-19, 2014
Yakima Convention Center
Washington Farm Bureau
Yakima, Washington
November 15, 2014
Northwest Filmmaker's FestivalPortland, Oregon
November 13, 2014
Yakima Valley MuseumYakima, Washington
November 8, 2014
Eugene International Film FestivalEugene, Oregon
October 27, 2014
Pickford Film Center
Bellingham, WA
October 15, 2014
Moses Lake Museum & Art Center
Moses Lake, WA
October 4, 2014
Ellensburg Film FestivalEllensburg, WA
September 2-6, 2014
DOCUTAH
Southern Utah Documentary Film FestivalSt. George, Utah
July 24, 2014, 6:30 pm
Strand Theatre
Red Ants Pants Music FestivalWhite Sulphur Springs, Montana
May 24, 2014
Seattle Center
NW Folklife FestivalSeattle, Washington
May 22-24, 2014
Ritz Theater
Ritzville, WA
April 24-27, 2014
Julien Dubuque International Film FestivalDubuque, Iowa
April 16, 2014
The Athena Cinema
Athens International Film FestivalAthens, Ohio
February 22, 2014
Wilma Theatre
World Premiere
Big Sky Documentary Film Festival
Missoula, Montana
