On August 21, the National Library of Australia will host the red-carpet premiere of the film Just a Farmer.
The premiere will be a feature of the National Farmers Federation (NFF) Leaders’ Summit which convenes over 250 agribusiness and political leaders to address key issues in Australian agriculture.
Just a Farmer is a compelling exploration of the mental health challenges faced by rural Australians, its purpose to ignite conversations essential for driving meaningful change.
Leila McDougall, the farmer from Tatyoon in Victoria, who wrote, produced and starred in the film said, “Every ten days, a farmer in Australia dies by suicide. This tragic statistic underscores the urgent need for increased support and intervention in rural mental health.”
Despite receiving overwhelming support from the agricultural industry, Just a Farmer has struggled to gain traction within the entertainment sector.
Dan Tehan, Member for Wannon, added “The premiere of Just a Farmer is an urgent call to action to get people to watch this film which can be viewed online at https://www.justafarmer.net.
“A good number of views will demonstrate there’s demand for this movie and encourage one of the free-to-air companies to pick it up.
“It is vital that Australians have a better understanding of the hard realities faced by our primary producers. And it’s critical that more funding is made available to support the mental health of those who sustain our food supply.”
Just a Farmer, which cost $2 million to produce, was privately funded by Australian farmers in support of Australian farmers.
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