Movies Similar to Back to the Land

Cinéma Vérité: Defining the Moment(2000)

A documentary about direct-cinema from its very beginnings (Nanook of the North) to the fake-direct-cinema of the Blair Witch Project. All the important direct-cinema filmmakers are portrayed and/or interviewed: Leacock, Wiseman, Maysles, Pennebaker, Reisz and others.

Cesar's Bark Canoe(1971)

"This documentary depicts a canoe being built in the traditional manner. Cesar Newashish, a 67-year-old Attikamek of the Manawan Reserve North of Montréal, uses only birchbark, cedar splints, spruce roots, and gum. With a sure hand he works methodically to fashion a craft unsurpassed in function or beauty of design. Building a canoe solely from the materials that the forest provides may become a lost art, even among the Native Peoples whose traditional craft it is. The film is free of spoken commentary but text appears on the screen in Cree, French, and English." - Anthology Film Archives

Little Burgundy(1968)

"This film is one of the first French Unit productions of the “Société Nouvelle/Challenge for Change” program. When an old area of Montréal is to be demolished to make way for a new low-income housing development, is there anything the residents can do to protect their own interests? The film documents such a situation in the Little Burgundy district of Montréal and shows how the residents organized themselves into a committee that successfully influenced the city’s housing policy." - Anthology Film Archives

The Things I Cannot Change(1967)

"This feature documentary is considered to be the forerunner of the NFB's Challenge for Change Program. The film offers in inside look at 3 weeks in the life of the Bailey family. Trouble with the police, begging for stale bread, and the birth of another child are just some of the issues they face. Through it all, the father tries to explain his family's predicament. Although filmed in Montreal, the film offers an anatomy of poverty as it occurs throughout North America." - NFB

Michel Brault, l'instinct de vue

Belle famille(1978)

A working class family leaves St-Henri quarter in Montréal to build a new home in the countryside.

Friday: About Cars(1978)

"Montréal under the snow and the cold winter. It is the period of the year when the garage owners strike it rich. The automobile at the service of man? This small opus would rather show the contrary. This is one in a series of eight films titled “Chronicle of Everyday Life,” a project that filmmaker Jacques Leduc took four years to realize, and whose goal was to revisit Direct Cinema at a moment when it was already heavily “contaminated” by mainstream TV." - Anthology Film Archives

Skiing Everest(2009)

A small, elite fraternity of high-altitude skiers climb the highest peaks in the world in pure Alpine style, carrying their skis and declining to use supplemental oxygen. At the top of the world, high in the Death Zone, they lock into their skis and challenge the most dangerous slopes in the world—under weather conditions that are as perilous as the thin air, hidden crevasses and 10,000 ft. sheer faces that drop into Nepal and Tibet far below.

Hiroshima: Why the Bomb Was Dropped(1995)

Peter Jennings takes a behind-the-scenes look at the Truman administration and the events that led to the atomic bombing of Japan in 1945. Includes footage of the incredible destruction, some of which has been kept secret for decades.

Hollywood Ghost Stories(1986)

An investigation into the reports of houses in Hollywood that are supposedly haunted by the ghosts of dead movie stars.

The Valley Is Ours(1948)

The Valley is Ours is a tribute to Australia's greatest river and the valley that it supports. Homage to post-war progress, this classic film celebrates the abundance of the Murray River Valley; from agriculture to timber, fishing to mining, fruit picking to shipbuilding. Proud and optimistic, it also celebrates the spirit of the people as they overcome problems of erosion, bushfire and drought and makes a plea for further development, arguing that at least another million people could find happy homes in this fertile territory.

Iluminados(2007)

Documentary about the great Brazilian photographers who helped develop Brazilian cinema and their opinions on their work, making movies in Brazil and in general, and other subjects. As a bonus, they all agreed to shoot the same scene following their individual concepts, and the result is shown for comparison.

Requiem for the Big East(2014)

The meteoric ascension of the Big East conference, and how in less than a decade, it became the most successful college basketball league in America.

Char·ac·ter(2012)

A raw and candid dialogue about the life and craft of acting between longtime colleagues and friends Dabney Coleman, Peter Falk, Charles Grodin, Mark Rydell, Harry Dean Stanton and Sydney Pollack. Drago Sumonja's document takes us into the hearts, minds, and living rooms of some of America's greatest storytellers.

The Weird Fucking Fizzler

Sassy college student Lymph Node is rattled when a creepy anonymous stalker on Fizz starts messaging her. As she spirals into paranoia, a mysterious hooded figure starts a ruthless killing spree throughout campus.

Joni Mitchell, Lady Blue(2022)

Joni Mitchell has been called the queen of folk music and one of the biggest pop stars of the 60s and 70s. Even today, her lyrics and unique guitar style continue to inspire new generations of singers and songwriters.

Curupira - Mother of the Forest

The Mother of the Forest ~ Curupira ~ is the story of a powerful Amazonian goddess told through the voices of the Borarí people from the heart of the forest in Pará, Brazil. She is the all powerful guardian of all living beings in the forest. And while she is generous and benevolent in her gift… Beware! If you disrespect her home, her punishments are merciless. Her warnings are more relevant than ever in a contemporary reality where the forces of agri-business, logging and mining are decimating the forest faster than we can protect it. Her story reminds us that it is time to listen, respect and rekindle a more balanced relation to nature if we wish to protect our common home.

Ruiz(2023)

At the core of these memories is Kcey, a spirited young woman of Puerto Rican and African American heritage. Her infectious spirit and uniquely endearing laugh became her signature, filling every room with infectious energy and joy. As a child, Kcey's spirited antics foreshadowed her future strength; she later emerged as a formidable member of the Air Force. Recollections from her mother, father, sister, childhood friend, and a battle buddy capture the essence of Kcey, from her infectious laughter to her cherished moments under the Afghan sunsets. Each memory serves as a testament to a life lived passionately. However, heartbreak strikes when, amid war, a plane crashes, claiming Kcey's life. As they grapple with this devastating loss, her loved ones oscillate between despair and denial, occasionally seeking refuge in work or the numbing embrace of alcohol. Yet, as they collectively mourn, they discover solace in their shared memories of Kcey's radiant spirit.

ML-AP(2021)

Menchu ​​Lamas and Antón Patiño have spent a whole life together dedicated to painting, where the spirit of play and artistic exploration of their early years remains intact. In Alcabre, Vigo, they have their watchtower by the sea.

Domy mrtvých(2023)