Agatha’s Almanac

A loving, wondrous film about 91-year-old Agatha and her vegetable garden. A documentary full of vibrant color, with an irresistible central character. Director Amalie Atkins, Agatha’s niece, filmed her aunt over a period of six years on her remote family farm in Manitoba, Canada. Shot on 16mm, with a cinematic eye for every beautiful and humorous detail, the film gradually draws you into her almost meditative rhythm of sowing, harvesting, preserving, and eating—and repairing things with duct tape, lots of duct tape.

Among all the greenery, Agatha speaks with disarming down-to-earth honesty about her life: the quilts she makes, her resourcefulness, and the choices that have shaped her. She reflects on how some seeds have been passed down through generations, forming a tangible connection to the ancestors who once worked this land. More sensitive subjects also come up, but even though life is not always easy, Agatha sees it as a privilege.

Amalie lets her aunt shine in all her fragile strength. Agatha’s calm resilience is enviable, her pragmatic outlook often unexpectedly funny, and the world she has built around her is rich and sparkling in color and texture. A tender and loving portrait of a woman who sustains an entire world on her own.

Winner of Best Documentary at Hot Docs, one of the largest documentary festivals in the world.