Film explores farming challenges

Since its premiere at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival two years ago, Dryland has been shown at almost 60 different venues around the country.

The film, created by Sue Arbuthnot and Richard Wilhelm, took top honors at both the Ellensburg Film Festival and the Eugene International Film Festival.

Set in the wheat farming country of Eastern Washington, Dryland tells the story of two friends’ goal of winning a combine demolition derby, as well as their desire to keep family farms intact in a changing agricultural world.

Wilhelm said he and Arbuthnot first visited Lind, Wash., after seeing a sign advertising the combine demolition derby, which is a derby that uses outdated combine harvesters instead of automobiles. While there, they met Matt Miller and Josh Knodel, two teenagers eager to compete in the derby. As Wilhelm and Arbuthnot visited with the young men, they heard of the struggles in keeping a family farm operating.

“We thought we would be doing a 10-minute short film on an extreme sport, but the more we heard from these young men about their desire to keep farming, we knew we had more of a story,” Wilhelm said.

The film, which took about 10 years to finish, explores the how changes in technology, climate, and other factors affect rural communities.

“One of the goals of the film is to start a conversation about bridging the gap between rural and urban communities,” Arbuthnot said. “We wanted to share the voices of people in the community, letting others know what it feels like when a family’s heritage, or their way of life, may be lost or displaced.”

Wilhelm said Lind has a population of about 450 people, but the combine derby brings about 5,000 people to town every year which helps keep the town afloat.

“Everybody helps everybody. The pit crews at the derby share tools, parts, whatever,” Wilhelm said. “There’s a lot of community spirit.

Dryland will make its Harney County debut at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30, at the Desert Historical Theatre in Burns. A majority of the proceeds will be donated to the Burns FFA Chapter.

“We’ve been discussing when to have a screening in Burns, and now seems like an appropriate time,” Wilhelm said.

Following the film, there will be a question and answer session to discuss the movie’s themes and goals.