The Land of Virtues: When Gardens Turn into Trenches
In a world where concrete seems to be king, the documentary The Land of Virtues reminds us that there are still those who literally cultivate hopes. 🌱 Vincent Lapize takes us to the workers' gardens of Aubervilliers, where a group of people tries to save their patch of green from the Olympic excavators. Because nothing says "Olympic Games" like destroying a community garden to build a stadium.
A Documentary That Smells Like Wet Earth
This film is not just about plants, but about people who:
- Grow tomatoes where others would only see a vacant lot
- Share knowledge as if it were seeds
- Resist progress with hoes and determination
"It's like a real version of the gardeners' rebellion, but without Disney songs in between"
More Than a Garden, a Social Microcosm
These gardens are the botanical equivalent of the United Nations, where coexist:
- Grandparents who teach planting as in their village
- Young people who discover that food doesn't grow in plastic
- Plants from around the world that thrive better here than at customs
And all this while providing natural air conditioning for the neighborhood. 🌳 Because nothing refreshes more in summer than a freshly picked cucumber... and knowing it doesn't come from a factory.
The Battle That Doesn't Make the News
The documentary shows how a community organizes against real estate giants, proving that:
- A radish can be more revolutionary than a pamphlet
- Legal victories sometimes fit in a flowerpot
- "Progress" doesn't always smell as good as basil
So if you thought the only ones fighting for the environment were those blocking highways, this documentary will show you that there are also those who do it by planting eggplants. 🍆 And that sometimes, resistance tastes like a freshly picked tomato.
P.S.: After watching this documentary, you might look at that empty lot in your neighborhood with different eyes... or with a desire to plant potatoes. 🥔