About
About
“If our farms were biodiverse gardens, full of trees, perennials, annuals, wild flowers and an array of insects and birds, we would regenerate the soil and its life-sustaining microbiology.”
“If our farms were biodiverse gardens, full of trees, perennials, annuals, wild flowers and an array of insects and birds, we would regenerate the soil and its life-sustaining microbiology.”
In “The Nature of Farming” we meet a number of Danish farmers and are introduced to different nature-friendly, regenerative farming methods that restore biodiversity above and below ground, remove CO2 from the atmosphere, build soil fertility, and balance our water and carbon cycles. Selected researchers and experts supplement with relevant information and reflections. The film is filled with visions and valuable scientific information, but it is also beautiful and healing in its own way and can be watched by everyone. It invites us to feel how life-affirming agriculture can be. Thus, the director Isabelle Denaro hopes to create a longing that, ideally, will inspire us to push towards a new paradigm.
Screenings
Screenings
The Nature of Farming is being shown in collaboration with selected organizations, universities, schools, festivals, companies and farms, as part of an impact strategy. Please reach out if you are interested in hosting a screening and Q&A with director Isabelle Denaro. Below is the screening calendar.
Director
Director
“If every one of us served the planet, humanity and all living things, we would regenerate ourselves and Mother Earth.”
Isabelle Denaro is a Danish film director with a special interest in both human nature and the planet and the relationships within the more-than-human community. Everything she creates aims to expand our consciousness and push towards new existential paradigms. She naturally delves into issues that others tend to avoid, and she is a whistleblower in spirit. Currently, she is drawn to utopian narratives as a response to the dystopian reality we live in, where nature is slowly dying while we as humans either ignore it or watch as if paralyzed. “If we all lived in service to the planet, humanity, and all living beings, we would regenerate ourselves and Mother Earth,” she says.
As a filmmaker, she has both a poetic and a documentary vein. A critic once wrote that there was a special elegance and rare attention to detail in her creations. The common denominator is undoubtedly beauty, for “it is the door to love, and love is the door to everything”.
Read more about her here isabelledenaro.com
Connect with her here Linkedin
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“In May 2020, I set out to investigate how regenerative farming methods can be used to address the climate and nature crises. The learning process has been significant, encompassing soil, microorganisms, photosynthesis, carbon sequestration, biodiversity, and ecosystems. However, the most transformative part of the journey has been the encounters with the people I have met along the way, all of which have dedicated their lives to creating a world where humanity lives in harmony with nature. I feel immense gratitude for what they have taught me. May their stories inspire you as well.” Isabelle Denaro
Cast
Cast
“The film has strengthened the regenerative movement, bringing together farmers across different regenerative farming methods. They are all working for soil health on the basis of natural intelligence, each in their own way.”
“The film has strengthened the regenerative movement, bringing together farmers across different regenerative farming methods. They are all working for soil health on the basis of natural intelligence, each in their own way.”
Frans van Der Woude
FarmerFrans van Der Woude
“A tree in a farming field attracts insects, birds and other small animals that were not there before.”
Silja Nyboe Andersen
ActivistSilja Nyboe Andersen
“As humans, we have lost our grounding and our connection to the soil.”Sandra Villumsen
FarmerSandra Villumsen
“Unpredictability, gratitude and powerlessness is what communities consist of and biological systems confront you with all the time.”
Hanne Gundersen
AgronomistHanne Gundersen
“As farmers, we need to understand that bacteria and fungi in the soil are our partners.”
Tine Engedal
Researcher, University of CopenhagenTine Engedal
“Since we started practicing agriculture, we have lost up to 2/3 of the carbon that was previously stored in the soil.”
Mira Illeris
FarmerMira Illeris
“We need people to move to the countryside and regenerate farmlands.”
Esben schultz
FarmerEsben schultz
“There are many studies that show that small farms have a higher yield than large farms per unit area.”
Rasmus Willig
Researcher and authorRasmus Willig
“To solve the climate and biodiversity crises, we all need to become farm owners.”
Nanna Thomsen
FarmerNanna Thomsen
“Our dream is that being a farmer would be the coolest thing ever.”
Hester Calaghan
FarmerHester Calaghan
“It would be great if we had a decentralized food system where people were fed with locally grown food.”
Mickey Gjerris
Bioethicist, University of CopenhagenMickey Gjerris
“If you cannot see yourself in a pig, you have not looked hard enough.”
Nikolaj Thomsen
FarmerNikolaj Thomsen
“In nature, we rarely find anything that looks like a monoculture.”
Michael Meyer
FarmerMichael Meyer
“When you stop using glyphosate, fungicides, and biogas slurry, and start using more diversity in your cover crops you will see a change quickly. I did all of it.”
Martin Beck
AgronomistMartin Beck
“A plant is actually something that comes down from the sky rather than up from the soil.”
Katherine Richardson
Professor, University of CopenhagenKatherine Richardson
“It is estimated that 80% of the biodiversity decline we are seeing is due to agriculture.”
Karoline Nolsø Aaen
FarmerKaroline Nolsø Aaen
“There is nature, and there is agriculture. Let’s look at how we can intertwine these two landscapes.”
Tycho Holcomb
FarmerTycho Holcomb
“We have forgotten that we are part of the ecosystems. I want to play a positive role in them.”
Josipa Bicanic
FarmerJosipa Bicanic
“Our function as humans is to create more life, by spreading seeds and managing ecosystems.”
“Food and health have always interested me. Organic farming. Animal rights. I’ve been a vegetarian since I was 18 and a vegan for 10 years. Now my focus has expanded to cover planetary health as well. Of course, all of these things are intrinsically connected. I dream of farms that are alive. Bountiful and biodiverse gardens, full of trees, perennials, annuals, wild flowers and an array of insects and birds. I dream of regenerating our soil and its life-sustaining microbiology.’’
Film Director, Isabelle Denaro
News
News
Screening and Q&A in Copenhagen in collab with NOAH
For the fourth time this year, we had a sold out screening in Grand Teatret (movie theatre). This time in collaboration with the Miljøbevægelsen Noah (Environmental movement), Landsforeningen mod svinefabrikker (the National Association against Pig Factories) and Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke (Action Aid Denmark) and featuring Hanne Gundersen from Jordkontakt, Nanna Thomsen from Lerbjerggaard Andelsgaarde and Viola Capriola from Grønt Marked in the panel along with Isabelle. Hanne, Nanna and Grønt Marked are in the film. Thank you to Rui Arved, Helene Meden Hansen and Emil Brix for organizing the event. You are super cool, and your work for the environment, climate, biodiversity and animal rights is very important and appreciated. Grand Teatret has become our go to movie theatre! We keep coming back, and every screening has been a success.
Screening in Kolding
Isabelle met Martin Pedersen at the screening in Ry and he introduced her to Nina Isabella Moeller from SDU Food Lab at Klimafolkemødet (The Climate Festival in Middelfart). Nina proposed a screening collab in Kolding, and her colleague Danielle Wilde accepted. Just like in our soil, relationship, community and interconnectedness is everything. After a morning screening before 4 local school classes, Isabelle had a very inspiring talk with Nina and Martin about indigenous people and farming in the Amazon, as part of her research for our next film. Prior to the screening there was a lovely network dinner with local farmers and people from the municipality and different organizations. The evening screening was completely sold out. There was a group of people there all the way from Sønderjylland, and they are now arranging screenings in their cities. We really appreciate all the support we are receiving out there. Thank you Nicolai Bio (movie theatre) for hosting.
Screening in Aalborg
Lise Grevenkop-Castenskiold took the initiative and organized a screening of our documentary film “The Nature of Farming” in Aalborg. It was screened on the November 12 at Nordisk Film Biografer Aalborg Kennedy in collaboration with the Danmarks Naturfredningsforening (Danish Society for Nature Conservation Aalborg), BedsteForældrenes KlimaAktion – Aalborg, (the Grandparents’ Climate Action), and the political party Alternativet Nordjylland. The morning after it was screened again for various schools.
There were many good questions after the screenings, but the one that made the biggest impression on me was the one I got from a young person (age 14-17). “With all this evidence, why don’t we just switch to nature-friendly, regenerative farming methods everywhere?”
The answer to this lies in political and economic interests on behalf of decision makers, lobby organizations and agro-chemical companies. As for farmers, some may actually want to go regenerative but are trapped by debt. Others stubbornly hold on to their conventional way of doing things. Others simply do not have the information. Some say, “we don’t know if it works”, but common sense says that it is easier to farm with nature instead of against it! The film shows many examples of successful regenerative farms.
Screening in Hillerød
The screening in Hillerød was sold-out. Before the screening, a beautiful farm-to-table dinner had been arranged by Louise Køster at Rabarbergarden at Frederiksborg Castle. The debate after the film was marked by the desire to initiate new regenerative projects in cross collaborations between schools, associations, libraries, and the municipality. I have now created a FB group for Landbrugets Natur, in Danish for Denmark, as a space where people can come together. Once the film goes international, similar groups could be made in each country.The new farming paradigm already exists. It is growing, and we can all help strengthen the movement by buying our fruits and vegetables from local regenerative farms, creating our own market or forest garden in community, raising funds to support young people who want to grow regeneratively in our local area, ensuring that children and young people learn how to grow their food. We can become active in associations and local politics where we can make all of the above happen.Thanks again to Tommy Kjær Lassen for being the coordinator of the event and supporting it financially together with the Hillerød libraries, Annette Wad, Leif E Christensen. Thanks to Slotsbio for a great collaboration – what a wonderful place you have.
Screening in Hundested
Nanna Høyrup Andersen made this screening happen. She gathered quite a few local associations, and there was a lot of emailing and coordinating involved, but it worked out very well. This is an example of how a broad collaboration can be a solution to financing a screening event. Thank you Danmarks Naturfredningsforening Halsæs, Halsnæs filosoferer, Alternativet, Halsnæsushi, Hundested Kino and Andelsgaarde. There was a dinner before the screening where we enjoyed vegan sushi made of local greens and seaweed! Professor Stiig Markager from Aarhus University was there and talked about nitrogen and the effect that the use of too much fertilizer has on our waters.
Screening and Q&A in Faaborg in collab with Okobo
The screening in Faaborg was arranged and sponsored by Økobo on Bjørnø. Thank you Peder Villadsen for making it happen. Økobo is an innovative, visionary project, focusing on ecology, self-sufficiency, sustainability, nature and community on the island Bjørnø in the South of Funen. The project will serve as a role model for future communities, where well-being, responsibility and openness are in focus. Where people live in close connection with nature and each other. We visited their farm project based on regenerative practices. Their plan is to have a CSA system for individuals and restaurants in the Faaborg area in 2025.
Screening in Bornholm in collab with DN and Øko Bornholm
The island of Bornholm is dominated by industrial farming, especially meat producing farms. There was a big interest in the film from people who long for more nature-friendly and regenerative farming methods, and the screening was sold. We talked about how we need to reflect upon our relationship with the more than human community and how we treat our fellow species, the animals, before we move forward with a different way of incorporating animals in our farming productions. Thank you Helle Bay Eriksen and Lucas Keller from Danmarks Naturfredningsforening and Anna Sofie Poulsen from Øko Bornholm for co-arranging this important screening. You can support the regenerative movement by becoming a shareholder in Øko Bornholm.
Screening in Falkoner Bio in Frederiksberg (Copenhagen)
This screening in Falkoner Bio (movie theatre) was completely sold out. Thank you Danmarks Naturfredningsforening (The Danish Nature Association) for supporting the screening and Dråben i Havet (Drop in the Ocean) for co-arranging it. Lone Loklindt, vice major in Frederiksberg, introduced the screening with a historical look at how fruit and vegetables were grown in the borough for the city and the King. We talked about how that could be an inspiration to create more urban community farming.
Screening in Valby kino in collab with Valby Miljøgruppe and Grøn Kirke
Begitta Blauhat from Valby Miljøgruppe (Environmental Group), Karen Lumholdt from Grøn Kirke (Green Church) and Mads Kusk form Valby Bibliotek (Library) arranged and supported a sold out screening in Valby, in greater Copenhagen.
Screening in Middelfart in collab with Vilde Middelfart
Rasmus Skaar from Middelfart municipality supported this screening and Linda Froelund Hansen from Vilde (Wild) Middelfart arranged it. This time Isabelle tried something different for the subsequent Q&A session. She had people stay in the vision and share what feelings it evokes, what the main take ways are and what each individual is going to do to support the new farming paradigm whether it be politically, economically or lifestylewise. The new paradigm already exists, as the film clearly shows us. And according to social change theories when 25% of a population supports an existential paradigm, a domino effect will occur.
Screening in Vejle in collab with Klimafokus Vejle
Vejle is Isabelle’s mother’s birth town, so this was a special screening for her. Isabelle’s grandparents and mother have planted a seed in her with their love for nature. Her mother talked about taking care of the planet 35 years ago, long before it became main stream to do so. There was a debate after the screening with, among others, an industrial farmer. It was respectful but our experience is that we are still far from each other and that it is difficult to bridge the gap. Thank you Nina Skriver Dahl and Klimafokus Vejle for making this happen. Thank you Caroline Montserrat from Lido Biograferne (movie theatre) for excellent service.
Screening in Taastrup Nordisk Film Biografer (greater Copenhagen)
Screening in Vig (northwest Zealand)
We had the most wonderful screening in Vig! The audience was fantastic! Despite the warm beach weather on a Sunday afternoon, 120 people showed up to watch a film about agriculture. That says a lot about how much longing there is out there for a new farming paradigm. And it gives us so much hope! Thank you Noëlle Kampmann and the BioDags Agricultural Group, DN Odsherred and Vig Bio (movie theatre) for making this happen.
Screening in collab with Jord (Earth/Soil) Festival
Sold Out! Once again, a full house. This time in Faxe, where the film was screened in Biografen Kanten at the official opening of the JORD – Art and Nature Festival. Thank you, Ingeborg Fangel Mo and Signe Glahn, for choosing to show The Nature of Farming under this year’s theme: GROWTH. The panel discussion afterward was great, and the audience was very engaged. The conversation focused a lot on what can be done locally and in local politics to push towards a nature-friendly, regenerative agricultural paradigm.
Earthwise Residency and Secret Hotel in Mols Bjerge
A very special screening was hosted by Earthwise Residency and Secret Hotel in the beautiful national park Mols Bjerge. Trine Rytter Andersen and Christine Fentz had arranged a lovely dinner with produce from their regenerative garden before showing the film. We were invited to stay for the weekend, and our sweet hostess Trine made our stay unforgettable. We are very grateful. Thanks to the tour, we are seeing so much of beautiful Denmark and meeting so many wonderful people.
Grand Theatre in Copenhagen
With support from The Danish Society for Nature Conservation (Danmarks Naturfredningsforening) and The Danish Climate Movement (Klimabevægelsen i Danmark) the film was screened in Grand Theatre in Copenhagen for the third time and once again before a full audience. Special thanks to Lisbeth Signe Nielsen and Stine Bardeleben Helles.
Øst for Paradis in collab with Aarhus University
Professor and Anthropologist Susanne Højlund from Aarhus University reached out to us in May 2024 with an interest in showing our film internally at the university. This quickly evolved to becoming a screening with Q&A at the cinema Øst for Paradis where a group of students were present as well as general public. Susanne had invited Professor, Anthropolist, Biologist and leader of AIAS (Aarhus Institute of Advanced Studies) Andreas Roepstorff, and the discussion with the room was beyond interesting. Among other things, we talked about relations, community and interconnectedness as fundamentals for regenerative thinking.
Duemosegaard
Ross Jackson, founder of Gaia Trust, and his wife Heather Jackson hosted a screening on their 20 hectare farm, Duemosegaard, which has been run organically for the past 14 years. Much in the spirit of The Nature of Farming, they have also created a small community around biodynamic and permacultural growth of food with a self-sustaining aim. Currently they are in the process of converting their land to agroforestry using regenerative farming practices. We were excited to show the film there and talk to the very knowledgeable audience that Ross and Heather had gathered. Just like the farms and farmers in the film, Duemosegaard is setting an important example for growing food now and in the future.
Biografen Samsø
This was such a successful screening and Q&A. It was hosted by Økologisk Samsø, Yduns Have and DN Samsø. The theatre was full and there was still a line of people hoping to get tickets. We are overwhelmed by everyone’s interest and will have to go back! I
Grafen Bio
Various delegations of the political party Enhedslisten got together and organized a screening in Furesø. Ludwig Goldschmidt, EP candidate for the upcoming election joined Director Isabelle Denaro in the subsequent debate. Thank you Jette Lyhne for organizing.
Byens hus Roskilde
SF Roskilde, Grønt Omstillingsforbund Roskilde and DN Roskilde teamed up around a screening and subsequent debate which was really lively! Thank you Sarah Emily Wenzel-Arnberg for organizing the event.
Premiere on Earth Day in Grand Theatre
The film premiered in its definitive version on Earth Day in collaboration with Grand Theatre. 140 people came and the event was sold out. Having gathered so many people on a Monday night for a film about farming really gives me hope. We are beyond happy!
Andelsgaarde in Copenhagen
There was a full house at the screening hosted by Andelsgaarde in Copenhagen in Demokratigaragen in Copenhagen. Kristine Gaardhus did a great job at interviewing me about the film. We talked about our reasons for making it, my vision of a new farming paradigm and the role go beauty/aesthetics in the film.
On the front page of “Information”
Isabelle participated in the INTRO:DOX program for new documentarists at CPH:DOX. During the film festival and much to her delight she discovered that an article about “The Nature of Farming” was on the front page of the national newspaper “Information”. That was a big milestone!
Grand Theatre in Copenhagen
The film was shown in a Director’s cut version before an audience of 300 people. It is now being re-edited and will premiere on April 22nd 2024.
Donations
Donations
If you would like to support our work, we accept donations. Your help guarantees that we can keep telling stories that will create awareness and a shift towards new paradigms, where the planet and its life, including all human beings, are respected and taken care of.
Danish citizens can MobilePay to Isabelle Denaro +45 31 51 6068
If you would like to make a bank transfer, please contact Isabelle by e-mail: isabelle@makeimpactfilms.com
We will have PayPal in the near future, and Isabelle is working on launching a GoFundMe campaign.
Thank you so much!
Marco & Isabelle
Danish citizens can MobilePay to Isabelle Denaro +4531516068
If you would like to make a bank transfer, please contact Isabelle by e-mail: isabelle@makeimpactfilms.com
We will have PayPal in the near future, and Isabelle is working on launching a GoFundMe campaign.
Thank you so much!
Marco & Isabelle