Tempest Theatre and regional foundation bring national farming documentary tour to the Okanagan
PENTICTON, B.C. — A new Canadian documentary examining the financial realities faced by the country’s farmers will be the focus of a community event in Penticton later this month, as local arts and community organizations host a public screening and discussion on the future of agriculture.
Tempest Theatre and the Community Foundation of the South Okanagan Similkameen (CFSOS) will present a free screening of The Hands That Feed Us on March 22. The feature-length documentary explores a central question facing the agricultural sector: whether the people responsible for producing Canada’s food can afford to continue farming.
The screening forms part of a cross-country tour by filmmaker Devon Cooke, who spent eight months traveling and working on farms from Vancouver Island to Nova Scotia while documenting the daily realities of modern agricultural life.
Cooke’s project takes a ground-level approach to the issue. During the filming process, he lived and worked alongside farmers across the country, observing the economic and social pressures shaping the industry. His experiences revealed a profession deeply tied to land stewardship and community identity, but increasingly constrained by financial challenges.
Among the key issues highlighted in the documentary are rising farmland prices and the widening gap between land values and the income that agricultural production can generate. According to the film’s narrative, many farmers featured in the project rely on additional off-farm employment to maintain their operations and remain on their land.
Rather than offering simple solutions, the film aims to present a broader reflection on the economic structures surrounding food production. It raises questions about how society values agriculture and whether a system that places financial strain on producers can remain sustainable in the long term.
Those questions are particularly relevant in British Columbia’s Okanagan region, where agriculture plays a central role in both the local economy and cultural identity. The area is known for vineyards, orchards and diverse small-scale farming operations, but producers have increasingly faced pressures related to land costs, development and changing market dynamics.
Organizers say the documentary provides an opportunity for local residents to engage with those issues through conversation and community dialogue.
“The challenges facing our local farmers are significant, and we need to confront them if we hope to build a more food-secure region for the long term,” says Kevin Ronaghan, Community Investments Manager with the CFSOS. “I’m excited to experience Devon’s journey through the film, and to participate in the conversation that follows.”
The Penticton screening will include a discussion session following the film, allowing attendees to engage directly with Cooke about his findings and experiences during the documentary’s production.
Cooke is currently traveling across Canada to present the film in rural and regional communities where agriculture remains a major economic and social pillar. The Penticton event is one stop on that national tour, which aims to bring the conversation directly to communities closely connected to farming and food production.
Local organizers say the event also aligns with the Community Foundation’s broader programming focused on food systems and regional sustainability. The screening is being presented as part of the Foundation’s “Films About Food” series, which explores the intersection of agriculture, community development and environmental stewardship through documentary film.
Admission to the event is free, though organizers note that seating at the Tempest Theatre is limited and advance registration is required.
The documentary itself has received support from several national arts and media funding organizations. The Hands That Feed Us is backed by the Canada Council for the Arts and the Bell Fund. Distribution is handled by Syndicado Films, and the film is currently available for streaming on Super Channel.
Tempest Theatre & Film Society, the event’s co-presenter, is an independent black-box theatre located in Penticton. The organization focuses on original performances, film presentations and artistic programming aimed at connecting audiences with contemporary creative work.
For the theatre and its partners, the screening represents an opportunity to combine arts programming with discussion around economic and social issues affecting the region.
The event will take place on Sunday, March 22 at Tempest Theatre, located at 125 Eckhardt Avenue East in Penticton. Doors open at 1:30 p.m., with the film beginning at 2:00 p.m., followed by the community conversation with Cooke.