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In Joshua and Rebecca Tickell’s well-informed documentary, Kiss the Ground (2020), Woody Harrelson spoke of a solution “as old as dirt” that may help prevent humanity’s demise. The solution that Harrelson spoke of was in the soil, making a convincing argument for the importance of regenerative agriculture. Though Harrelson did a fine job as Kiss the Ground’s narrator, the film’s true stars are its farmers/scientists. With Common Ground (2023)the Tickells’ follow-up, many of Kiss the Ground’s subjects, including agronomist Ray Archuleta and farmer Gabe Brown, return to help further the filmmakers’ compelling messaging. Harrelson also briefly reappears alongside Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Rosario Dawson, and Donald Glover. Their familiar faces help shed light on the magnitude of the systemic issues associated with our soil, how we arrived at this disastrous situation, and how we can improve it. Like Kiss the Ground, the Tickells intentionally bring the experts to the forefront in Common Ground. The celebrities do not overstep their boundaries, and their presence helps with outreach. Common Ground opens with the forementioned actors writing warning letters to their children about the tragic future that we’re approaching; they are not acting, rather they offer a genuine introspection on preparing for the worst and evaluating how we can strive for the best. Simply put, it is said “if the soil dies, we die.” Common Ground reaffirms this can be avoided through the relatively straightforward ways of regenerative agriculture. These principles are revealed to be: no tillage, cover crop usage, no chemicals, and planned grazing. Common Ground’s delivery in conveying the magic of regenerative agriculture makes for an inspiring documentary; it is the kind of film that leaves you invigorated, full of energy, and wanting to fight the good fight. Though some may construe it as one, Common Ground is not a political film, rather it is a realist film rooted in science.

 

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