The Biggest Little Farm
Documentarian John Chester and his wife Molly work to develop a sustainable farm on 200 acres outside of Los Angeles.
2019 | Running Time: 91 minutes | Rating: PG
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM chronicles the eight-year quest of John and Molly Chester as they trade city living for 200 acres of barren farmland and a dream to harvest in harmony with nature. Through dogged perseverance and embracing the opportunity provided by nature’s conflicts, the Chester’s unlock and uncover a biodiverse design for living that exists far beyond their farm, its seasons, and our wildest imagination. Featuring breathtaking cinematography, captivating animals, and an urgent message to heed Mother Nature’s call, THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM provides us all a vital blueprint for better living and a healthier planet.
John Chester, Director, Producer & Farmer
If you saw him elbow deep in a cow assisting a difficult birth, you’d never guess that John Chester spent the first 20 years of his career making documentary films. As the director of such critically-acclaimed films as Lost in Woonsocket (OWN) & Rock Prophecies (PBS), as well as the star and show runner of Random 1 (A&E), John has built many teams in his career, which certainly helps to develop the amazing group of people at Apricot Lane Farms.
In addition to serving as farm manager with wife Molly Chester, John heads up the Apricot Lane Holistic Livestock Program and runs the day-to-day operations of the farm. John’s passion for animals is exemplified in the documentary series he made for Animal Planet and in the way he guides the very unique livestock program on the farm. The surprise ending is that for this filmmaker, farming isn’t such a stretch; during his early years in film, John spent his spare time between projects running his family’s farms, gaining experience vital to his present career.
Sandra Keats, Producer
Sandra Keats is an independent documentary film and television producer, whose work focuses largely on social and environmental issues, both in the U.S. and abroad. She has most recently produced on two films with Participant Media and her work has appeared at film festivals (Sundance, Berlin, Tribeca) and on PBS, Pivot, The Sundance Channel, Travel Channel, GQ.com, among others. Her projects have taken her across the globe– from police stations in Kampala, Uganda to a debutante ball in Moscow; etiquette classes in Beijing to almond farms in California’s Central Valley, and beyond.
Palm Springs International Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Documentary
Toronto International Film Festival: Second runner-up for The Grolsch People’s Choice Documentary Award
Sundance Film Festival: Runner-up for the Festival Favorite Award
American Film Institute Fest: Audience Award for Best Feature
Boulder Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize for Feature Length Film
Boulder Film Festival: Best Documentary
Mill Valley Film Festival: Silver Audience Award for Valley of the Docs Presentation
Hamptons International Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Documentary Feature
Middleburg Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Documentary
Annapolis Film Festival: Audience Award for Best Feature Documentary
Gasparilla Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Documentary
Sedona Film Festival: Best of the Fest
Sedona Film Festival: Director’s Choice Award for Best Documentary
“…“Biggest Little Farm,” with its lush tour of transformed land and photogenic fauna, is so appealing
as a chronicle of dedicated do-gooders who actually did good (and shot every frame of it).”
LOS ANGELES TIMES
Tags: Documentary, Feature