Seeds

Seeds follows three elders and families of different generational Black farms that continue to exist despite how society has treated them.

Carlie Williams, 89, is a farmer and part of the Kentavia-Williams farm in Thomasville, Georgia, which has been in the family since 1883. Once a bustling place managed by many people, it has deep roots in the area. Through Carlie’s perspective, the farm's rich history and its role in the community come alive. As the film progresses, a new reality subtly sets in. While the eldest farmers have long been greatly empowered by their work, they also struggle to see a way forward as prolonged illnesses take over. Twenty-five miles away in Pavo, Georgia, Willie Head Jr., 66, works the 167-acre farm his grandfather purchased in 1938 for $300. A solitary farmer, Willie plants, harvests, and runs every aspect of the business himself. His dedication is driven by an unwavering desire to preserve the land and ensure the well-being of his grandchildren and future descendants. Ben Burkett, 72, is a fourth-generation farmer in Petal, Mississippi, and part of the Federation of Southern Cooperatives and Indian Springs Co-Op. Outgoing and humorous, Ben is a connector and mentor.

Through these three lives, Seeds documents the communal and spatial relationships in the rural South. The film creates an intimate portrait of farmers and the landscapes they steward, illustrating how generations of Black family farms persevere despite enduring obstacles.