Bumped into this doc in a random way, decided to give it a try and was captivated.
Amazing original footage, great editing, love the narration, the details and the fact that they stay focused on the concept: the rise and fall of the "Farm" is presented, but what stays on the foreground is the sisters' story.
The story of 2 sisters who go back to their childhood "hometown" to make peace with the past is nothing new, but what makes the difference is that their hometown is a hippy utopia commune based on a farm. If you are into that era you should watch it just for the original footage that is so candid and unfiltered... no social media at that time so people were being themselves while being filmed, not acting in a way to feed the algorithm.
Love the interviews: convincing the sister's parents, past members of the commune, the commune leader to talk on camera is fantastic and what elevates this doc to a higher level than most other productions.
Conflicts abound and it's what kept me interested. Hippies and "modern society", husband and wife, parents and children, commune members and the Federal Government, commune members and the commune leadership.
No spoilers but: it is smartly edited. Questions arise in a natural way, which is what keeps me watching to get an answer. Good balance of exposition and "show dont tell: the sisters recalling their past and watching the trajectory of what happened.
Great production!
Having no privacy, no private property, no money, limited personal decision making is not healthy.
Amazing original footage, great editing, love the narration, the details and the fact that they stay focused on the concept: the rise and fall of the "Farm" is presented, but what stays on the foreground is the sisters' story.
The story of 2 sisters who go back to their childhood "hometown" to make peace with the past is nothing new, but what makes the difference is that their hometown is a hippy utopia commune based on a farm. If you are into that era you should watch it just for the original footage that is so candid and unfiltered... no social media at that time so people were being themselves while being filmed, not acting in a way to feed the algorithm.
Love the interviews: convincing the sister's parents, past members of the commune, the commune leader to talk on camera is fantastic and what elevates this doc to a higher level than most other productions.
Conflicts abound and it's what kept me interested. Hippies and "modern society", husband and wife, parents and children, commune members and the Federal Government, commune members and the commune leadership.
No spoilers but: it is smartly edited. Questions arise in a natural way, which is what keeps me watching to get an answer. Good balance of exposition and "show dont tell: the sisters recalling their past and watching the trajectory of what happened.
Great production!
- - - -
- sacrificing personal well-being (and your family's harmony) for a "greater good" leads to burnout.
Having no privacy, no private property, no money, limited personal decision making is not healthy.
- open door policy is a recipe for disaster: without vetting and assigning roles to people who want to join the "club" you'll attract unstable people who just want to take without giving. They will make the environment toxic. The Amish could teach them a thing or two.
- Hierarchy and a system to keep those in power in check are needed. When you have large number of people leadership plays a critical role but its ability to make decisions must be contained. Not only power can lead to those "ego trips" they were preaching about but you can make fatal mistakes and ruin many people lives. (e.g. In the doc: going to guatemala, having ambulance in NYC)