The Bullish Farmer

Once a successful Wall Street banker, John Ubaldo — aka "John Boy" — quit his career after the loss of a personal friend in the 9/11 attacks and purchased 185 acres of land in order to pursue a bigger dream. A dream that involves living an uncomplicated, traditional, agrarian life where he raises livestock and crops. But his dreams are complicated when he comes up against Big Ag, who support farming techniques that use all-in-one resources for large-scale producers, operators, and growers.

In the face of this ever-growing monolith, John soon realizes that his preferred method of farming is not in sync with today's prevailing agricultural practices. Usually a private farmer, John takes to his blog to become an outspoken activist who lobbies for GMO labeling, animal rights, the preservation of crop diversity, and the reduction of chemical fertilizers to help preserve small farms. John and his fellow small-scale farmers take their fight directly to the corporations that threaten to wipe out small, sustainable farms like theirs.

The film encapsulates one man's journey from the stock market to the farmer's market, and his tenacious desire to make local food the future -- one bite at a time.

SPEAKER AVAILABLE

Director/Producer Ken Marsolais' goal in making The Bullish Farmer is to inspire awareness about the importance of the food we eat and gain support for the small farms and help save rural America.

FILMMAKER'S STATEMENT: "It is our hope that The Bullish Farmer will inspire families to reconsider their eating habits and to better understand how their food choices affect their health. We further hope that the film will contribute to society's current shift toward good clean food, and that it will spark dialogue about how to change prevailing farm policies."

-Ken Marsolais

Preview link available upon request. Contact support@videoproject for more information

A Film by Ken Marsolais and Nancy Vick

80 minutes

Scene Selection • Closed Captioned

Grades 7 - Adult

Item #: TBF-1140

A Wall Street banker turned private farmer becomes an outspoken activist who lobbies against Big Ag

Starting at $89

Licensing Options

K-12 Schools, Public Libraries, Community Groups - $89 K-12 DVD + Digital File - $139 Colleges, Businesses, Other Institutions: DVD - $300 Colleges (DVD with Digital Site License) - $450

Reviews and Festivals

"A pleasant film to watch, with lovely images of animal flocks and herds and maize fields, and the portrait of John is warm and sympathetic...The film can be used in methodology courses dealing with fieldwork and research dissemination, as a good base for discussion on issues of identification, reflexivity and outsider/insider issues in analysis and representation."

— Professor Gudrun Dahl, Anthropology Book Forum

"Unabashedly exposes Big Ag as the toxic business model it is...Constructs bridges that can reach all people and communities on the universal values of the beauty of nature, the basic yet complex importance of food, and the protection of our children."

— Headwaters Magazine

"The Bullish Farmer is a thought-provoking profile of one farmer who found value and passion in feeding his local community through traditional farming methods: crop rotation, no pesticides, and giving animals lots of room to graze. Recommended."

— Video Librarian

"John Boy's ideas on food and farming are what we live by, and we buy his products daily...The Bullish Farmer tells the powerful story of this local hero who deserves followers around the world!"

— Academy Award Nominees Lena Olin and Lasse Hallstrom

"One of the world's most inspiring and life-affirming films...the magnificent story of a Wall Street 'Bull' who has transformed his life into one epitomizing Kaiser Permanente's commitment to enhance healthy living."

— Kaiser Permanente

"Passionate, but still keeping his sense of humor, John's inspirational crusade proves that one man can truly make a difference."

— Cinequest

"Awakens the deep connection inside our souls through incredible shots of farm life. Through the eyes of director Ken Marsolais we are shown the real deal with John "Boy" Ubaldo, a former successful Wall Street investment banker turned farmer who realized his methods of farming are not accepted...The quiet, yet firm tone throughout the film matches Ubaldo's unwavering tenacity...You see how he and other rural farmers are tackling the influence of Big Ag one day at a time."

— Newport Beach Indy

"With the beauty of rural upstate New York farmland as a backdrop, The Bullish Farmer offers a knowledgeable immersion in small-scale farming, and raises crucial questions about the ethics of what the government and the agriculture industry are asking us to accept as nutritious food for our families."

— Michael Milius, The Bedford-Pound Ridge Record-Review

WINNER

NYC Indie Fest, Best Sound Design

Golden Door International Film Festival, Best Documentary

Jersey Shore Film Festival, Best Documentary
Cinequest, Kaiser Permanente Thrive Award
Queens World Film Festival, Best Director Documentary Feature
Accolade Global Film Competition, Award of Merit
Impact Docs Awards, Award of Merit
IndieFEST, Award of Merit

Telly Awards, Award of Merit

OFFICIAL SELECTION
Berkshire International Film Festival
Buffalo Niagra International Film Festival
Docs Without Borders Film Festival
Connecticut Film Fest 52
Hoboken International Film Festival
Indy Film Fest
Kansas City Film Fest
Macon Film Festival
Martha’s Vineyard Environmental Film Festival
Newport Beach Film Fest
United Nations Association Film Festival
Peekskill Film Festival
Port Townsend Film Festival
Erie International Film Festival
Woodshole Film Festival
Boston Film Festival
Woodstock Museum Film Festival
Hamptons Take 2 Documentary Film Festival
Chautauqua International Film Festival
Sedona International Film Festival
Roswell Film Festival
New York City Independent Film Festival
Golden Door International Film Festival
Jersey Shore Film Festival
Queens World Film Festival
IndieFEST
Cinequest

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