The Real Dirt On Farmer John (home-use)
- Directed by: Taggart Siegel
- Produced by: Teri Lang and Taggart Siegel
Released: 2005
Running Time: 83 min
Subtitles: English 
Subjects: Agriculture Studies, Environmental Studies, Sociology
THE REAL DIRT ON FARMER JOHN is an epic tale of a maverick Midwestern farmer. An outcast in his community, Farmer John bravely stands amidst a failing economy, vicious rumors, and violence. By melding the traditions of family farming with the power of art and free expression, this powerful story of transformation and renewal heralds a resurrection of farming in America. Through highly personal interviews and 50 years of beautifully textured footage, filmmaker Taggart Siegel shares Farmer John’s haunting and humorous odyssey, capturing what it means to be wildly different in a rural community.
Awards
- Slamdance Film Festival – Audience Award
- Mendocino Film Festival – Special Jury Award
- Mountainfilm in Telluride – Sustainable Planet Award
- Mountainfilm in Telluride – Viewers’ Choice
- San Francisco International Film Festival – Golden Gate Jury Award
- Newport International Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Chicago Int'l Documentary Festival – Audience Award
- Nashville Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Nashville Film Festival – Reel Current Award (selected by Al Gore)
- Santa Cruz Film Festival – Festival Director’s Award
- Wisconsin Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Wisconsin Film Festival – Audience Award
- Bend Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Bend Film Festival – Audience Award (Best of Fest – all categories)
- Milwaukee International Film Festival – Audience Award
- Jackson Hole IDA DocuWeek – Audience Award
- Beloit International Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Beloit International Film Festival – Audience Award
- Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Pine Film Festival – Grand Jury Award, Best Storytelling
- Inspiration Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Inspiration Film Festival – Audience Award
- Reno Tahoe Int’l Film Festival - Grand Jury Award
- Wine Country Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
Quotes
" … one man's extraordinary life as a gateway to a larger history of tragedy and transition. It's an unflinching account of what farming takes — and, more important, what it gives back..." ~ Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times
“…the agrarian fantasy is so compelling here that the revitalization of the American family farm begins to seem not just possible, but probable… " ~ Julia Wallace, The Village Voice
" Compelling contemporary and vintage film footage. The story… is amazing about a farm that falls apart and then is revived. " ~ USA Today
" The Real Dirt On Farmer John is a surprisingly broad documentary, encompassing themes of universal importance, like filial guilt, intellectual curiosity and cultural debasement, within a tight tale of a lone farmer, the titular John Peterson. It fully deserves an exuberant, cultish fan base to match Farmer John himself. " ~ Brian Duff, filmink.com.au, Australia
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Awards
- Slamdance Film Festival – Audience Award
- Mendocino Film Festival – Special Jury Award
- Mountainfilm in Telluride – Sustainable Planet Award
- Mountainfilm in Telluride – Viewers’ Choice
- San Francisco International Film Festival – Golden Gate Jury Award
- Newport International Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Chicago Int'l Documentary Festival – Audience Award
- Nashville Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Nashville Film Festival – Reel Current Award (selected by Al Gore)
- Santa Cruz Film Festival – Festival Director’s Award
- Wisconsin Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Wisconsin Film Festival – Audience Award
- Bend Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Bend Film Festival – Audience Award (Best of Fest – all categories)
- Milwaukee International Film Festival – Audience Award
- Jackson Hole IDA DocuWeek – Audience Award
- Beloit International Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Beloit International Film Festival – Audience Award
- Wild and Scenic Environmental Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Pine Film Festival – Grand Jury Award, Best Storytelling
- Inspiration Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
- Inspiration Film Festival – Audience Award
- Reno Tahoe Int’l Film Festival - Grand Jury Award
- Wine Country Film Festival – Grand Jury Award
Quotes
" … one man's extraordinary life as a gateway to a larger history of tragedy and transition. It's an unflinching account of what farming takes — and, more important, what it gives back..." ~ Jeannette Catsoulis, The New York Times
"Unbelievably special... told with insight and humor." - Al Gore
"A charming, wonderful and important movie." - Alice Waters
“…the agrarian fantasy is so compelling here that the revitalization of the American family farm begins to seem not just possible, but probable… " ~ Julia Wallace, The Village Voice
" Compelling contemporary and vintage film footage. The story… is amazing about a farm that falls apart and then is revived. " ~ USA Today
" The Real Dirt On Farmer John is a surprisingly broad documentary, encompassing themes of universal importance, like filial guilt, intellectual curiosity and cultural debasement, within a tight tale of a lone farmer, the titular John Peterson. It fully deserves an exuberant, cultish fan base to match Farmer John himself. " ~ Brian Duff, filmink.com.au, Australia