Agatha's Almanac

In Manitoba, Canada, lies the remote family farm of 91-year-old Agatha Bock, where she tends a magnificent vegetable garden. There, she grows crops from heirloom seeds that date back to the time of her ancestors. They are wholesome crops, without any fuss, and free from genetic modification. As she goes about her work with unwavering calm, she talks about her life. It certainly hasn’t always been easy, but despite everything, the down-to-earth Agatha sees life as a privilege.

Artist Amalie Atkins, Agatha’s niece, spent six years filming her aunt. She draws us into the almost meditative rhythm of sowing, harvesting, preserving and eating, which repeats year after year, into the colourful and vibrant world that her aunt maintains all on her own. And if something breaks, she uses duct tape – lots and lots of duct tape… It has become a tender and loving portrait, shot on 16mm.