5 Questions With Gaetano Naccarato

Filmed during the pandemic, filmmaker Gaetano Naccarato’s new film Farmer: A Way Of Life talks about the damage done to the planet by industrial farming, and what must be done to give back to the Earth and live more sustainably. Given the passion it takes to deliver such an incredible film at such a difficult and dangerous time, it’s no wonder that Naccarato has gained all sorts of praise for his work on this film, as well as his previous projects. We got a chance to speak with him for our 5 Questions With series. Check out his answers below!

Q: Tell us more about your film.  How did it come to be? 

GN: In April 2018, the European Union noticed my short film “Icy Silence” and entrusted me with the production of a short documentary on the theme of agriculture. I produced this film with total freedom.
What interests me in that short film is to confront the audience to the reality of our agricultural world, using an optimistic point of view and a personal vision.
The story is a powerful collection of portraits of farmers living all around the European continent. This is a revealing film, calling for urgent change in our nutrition system and our way of life.
I have put to screen the complexities and harmonies of our environment, all the while putting an emphasis on the ever growing gap between agriculture and urban society.

Q: What was your budget?

GN: For the entire production, the budget for the film “Farmer, a way of life” was 18,000 Euros.A very low budget for a film shot in 5 countries, with very high technical requirements.
But I am a passionate man, and I was determined to do my best despite the many difficulties.

Q: What was the biggest takeaway from making the film?

GN: My first intention was to make a film passing on a message of hope, where farmers inspire us through their energy to heal a world that is crumbling around them.I wanted to stand out from usual documentaries by highlighting what is beautiful on our planet Earth, and what we should preserve. The story is here to awaken a desire of discovery regarding our ecosystem.
It’s a journey from which the singularity will bring a kind of universality, in connection to the audience. Our farmers are the mirrors of our world, forming an intricate and intimate bond to nature, animals and landscapes they interact with.

Q: What was the biggest challenge in making this film?

GN: Due to the terrible pandemic affecting us all, I made this film alone, all of it. For one year, I travelled 20 000 km (12 400 miles) through Europe in order to discreetly capture authentic moments. It was a huge challenge. Over 3000 hours were spent in the post-production of this film. It is a complete original creation, from images to music.

Q:  What is next for you?

GN: In October 2022, I start shooting my first feature film “The Curve”. An action film in English, shot in the French Alps, with international distribution.

Big thanks to Gaetano for taking the time to speak with us, and be sure to check out his latest film when possible! The review for it will also be available here!