POV
Wisdom Gone Wild
A new look at dementia and caregiving, observed over 15 years. A Japanese American mother and daughter evolve their troubled relationship through the process of caregiving.
The Seed Saver
An adopted Korean-American farmer sows only seeds from her native land. Will she cultivate healthy crops and a connection to her heritage?
- Series
- Independent Lens
- Premiere Date
- May 13, 2019
- Length
- 9 minutes
- Funding Initiative
- Short-Form Open Call
Producer/Director
John Picklap
John Picklap’s directorial work has been featured by The Atlantic, Atlas Obscura, and premiered at AFI DOCS, Mill Valley Film Festival and won Best Short Documentary at LA Lift-Off Film Festival. He has also worked with major media organizations such as NPR, WIRED, AJ+, and the Associated Press.Picklap is a 2019 SFFilm Artist-in-residence as he works on… Show more
Co-Producer
Garrett Stern
Garrett Stern is a Virginia native. For the past decade he has been a researcher and advocate for sustainable, ethical farming. He has worked with farmers, nonprofits, and universities to build bridges between the farmers who produce our food and the communities that eat it. When he not producing films, he is working at the University of Richmond as a Senior… Show more
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The Film
The Seed Saver captures a struggle both personal and universal – how does an adopted child cultivate a connection to the culture of her birth? For Kristyn Leach, that cultivation is literal. As a farmer in Northern California, she tends crops grown from ancient Asian heritage seeds. Leach grew up on Long Island, a rebellious South Korean child adopted into an Irish Catholic family. Now, the connection to her past is tangible, but so are the ravages of disease and wildlife that threaten her harvest. The Seed Saver explores the roots of cultural identity through the insightful story of one unique American farmer.
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