On struggle, success and the impermanence of both | Field Song

2,171 views · Published 10 January 2018 · 6:29 · Indexed 20 September 2026

Channel: Aeon Video · 2018 · Education

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‘Life is to plow.’ A reflection on struggle, success and the impermanence of both. 

Directed by Brad Bischoff (http://bradleybischoff.com/)

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‘Just like the bad things, the beautiful things are temporary too.’

Roberto Olivera was raised in poverty in southern California, where he worked the tomato fields alongside his mother and abusive stepfather, migrant workers from Mexico. Now in his 60s, financially successful and with a family of his own, Olivera has grown to understand the meaning behind his mother’s frequent refrain: ‘La vida es sufrir’ (‘Life is suffering’). With an understated melancholy, Field Song pairs Olivera’s poignant reflections with views of southern California’s agricultural landscapes, presenting hardship as both temporary and timeless.

Director: Brad Bischoff
Producer: Alex Hidalgo
Director of Photography: Casey Bohrnell

#mexico  #farming  #documentary