The Garden is the unflinching look at the struggle between urban farmers and the City of Los Angeles and a powerful developer who wants to evict them and build warehouses. Mostly immigrants from Latin American countries where they feared for their lives if they were to speak out, we watch them organize, fight back, and demand, "Where is our 'Justice for all'?" If everyone told you nothing more could be done, would you give up? www.blackvalleyfilms.com
“THE GARDEN” TRAILER
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Everyone needs to see this movie and realize that what they obtained there in those 13 acres of land needs to happen all over the country. It is so sad that such a wonderful achievement faced such a disgraceful obstacle.
No es dificil entender la vida saludable. Esta pelicula explica todo que necitamos para vivir con cooperacion y felicidad.
Such a great documentary on all levels. I especially appreciate the attention to the details of the struggle; how persistent, smart and hardworking the farmers had to be to go against “the powers that be”. Yes, I cried. But, more than that. I was inspired. La vida es toda lucha!
Jan Perry is disgraceful. After years of Los Angeles east side not having restaurants because of insurance redlining, the ’92 riots changed things. There’s now fast food and shopping centers on the east side and then Jan’s FAT nasty ass had nerve to say no more. The irony of it all is she shut down an urban garden, with fresh vegetables and then say she’s for the community. Have you seen her humongous self lately, she three times the size she was her. She needs veggies more than anyone!!!
Just watched this great movie!
The Garden: this is what we need more of in our communities, not more corporate bullshitters who’ve sold their souls to satan for $ and £ – we’ve already got more than enough of those!
whoa. the gardeners are so right
hey cuz u is wack my nigg get ur pale white cracker wanna be thug on outta here cuz
Oh man, i didn’t know they made a documentary about this. I actually remembered going there months before been evicted, my mom bought some corn leafs to make tamales. It was about 5 years ago or so, its on Alameda st. close by the El Faro Swap Meet/Alameda Swap Meet. It sucks b/c everytime when going to L.A we would pass by here and see the people tending their little piece of land. I don’t live exactly in LA, but its was great to see this within an urban city.
NoJusticeNoPeace, you’re a Canadian.
Frizzo, you’re a nationalist, conformist, propertarian dickhead. You’re exactly the kind of phony, gladhanding twink who ruined an entire school of music. I hope you acquire an acute, extremely painful skin disease. Oh, and your music sucks.
No documentary has ever made me cry as hard as this one did.
(continued) Also, if it’s un-American to want safe, healthy, affordable food for all, then I’m proud to say I’m un-American. However, I disagree. Even after all the mistakes we’ve made, we can certainly turn things around. We can become a better America, one that takes care of its people, whether they speak fluent English or not. (Plus, it might do us some good to learn another language. We’re not alone on this planet.) We can and must change the way America “works.”
If they began farming illegally, then of course something was going to hit the fan sooner or later. However, saying they need to “quit criticizing America and learn to live with it” is BS, since there are community gardens sprouting up all over the country, especially in the inner cities, where they’re needed most. The biggest problem this country faces is what its first world values have done to the land and its people.
Amen, if these people are happy with gardening and not speaking English, they could have stayed in South America. They need to quit critisizing America and learn to live with it. They keep bucking it and their community is in shambles because of it. A third world mentality doesn’t translate into success in a first world country. It’s simple math.
The land was stolen from Ralph Horowitz by the corrupt city council under eminent domain and then they allowed people who had no legal ownership of the land to farm the land. Horowitz reaquired his land legally. He tried to be civil with the community. They then put up a fight for land they held no title to. They even assaulted each other for their lack of self organization. South Central is a shitty community with no sense of how America works. Get it together.
i don’t know if i am sad that this happened in this day and age or if i’ve lost all hope in humanity after watching this film.
The organization relocated to Bakersfield, about 100 miles or so north, and now they operate at farmers markets and offer CSA boxes to the larger LA community. But who knows what the individuals that grew food in South Central.
This goes beyond just kicking people off purchased land. It goes into the economics of eating well. My mother lives in South LA and there are more fast food joints on every corner than markets that offer produce at affordable prices. So what are we saying as a society when we shut down community farms? That only those with money get to eat from the Earth? These folks that tried to feed themselves, are the same people that slaughter the cows and pick the produce that YOU buy at the grocery store.
No,i wouldn’t giveup, we ALL have to eat…
What happened, its been 1 year?
Muy buena la pelicula-documental. Increíblemente verídica i emocionante.
Arriba los Jardines Urbanos
*Crisksas*
Ownership as in i am the legally recognized deedholder of this property. Now if you want to say that the arrangement made for the owner to acquire this land is f-d up go ahead. Why should the owner have to pay property taxes to let a bunch of strangers use his land. He should be aloud to put a giant statue of a dildo up if he wants to.
The question of who owns the land depends on what your definition of ownership is! The same thing goes for what “individual rights” you think are most important.
Please read the “ringing cedars collection”
This is devastating what they done to this community garden.
Whoever owns the land should be able to do whatever they want with it as long as they are not infringing on anyones individual rights by doing so.
I was there on the farm when this all happened, camping out every night and doing whatever I could to help save it. The destruction of the South Central Farm was the most racist, greedy, and backwards thing I’ve ever witnessed in America. Antonio Villaraigosa should be caned (Singapore style) and Ralph Horowitz should be flogged.