Farming the Revolution

The winner of this year's best international documentary at the world's most renowned documentary festival, Hot Docs, is a harrowing film about a democracy on its knees, but also about those who are trying to make a difference.

In November 2020, young farmer Gurbaz Sangha traveled 400 kilometers by tractor from his home in Punjab to the capital city of Delhi to protest against Prime Minister Modi's highly controversial agricultural laws. At the height of the Covid pandemic, he was joined by more than half a million farmers across all backgrounds, castes and geographies. The film clearly shows Modi's lack of respect for democracy, but it's also a poignant insight into how individuals standing together can make a difference when facing a powerful and unjust bureaucracy.

«Nishtha Jain’s absorbing documentary Farming the Revolution charts the march on Delhi, but also takes time to detail the experiences of the farmers, and outlines the politics and reaction to the march.»

– Mark Adams, Doc Europe –

Jon Sæter

The Critical Room // The Fruitful Agricultural Rebellion in India

In connection with the screening of FARMING THE REVOLUTION, there will be a panel discussion after the film. State Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bjørg Sandkjær (SP), will open the screening, followed by a discussion on the increasingly undemocratic governance in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and how popular and non-violent resistance can yield results. The conversation will be in English.

Director

Nishtha Jain is one of India's leading documentary filmmakers. She is known for critically acclaimed films such as Lakshmi and Me (2007), Gulabi Gang (2012), and The Golden Thread (2022). Her latest film, Farming the Revolution, won the award for Best International Documentary at Hot Docs in 2024.

This film is part of