Synopsis
In a dying farming village in central Greece, two cousins and five women decide to do things differently. With a little help from Wagner, Christopher Columbus, and local myths, they cultivate an ancient tomato seed and enter the world market with their organic products. With humour and poetry, the film speaks to us about the power of human relationships, the ability to see life and the world differently, and the importance of reinventing oneself during difficult times.
A word from Tënk
Can playing music in a field impact the taste of the tomatoes growing in it? Can it influence the yield of the plants in question? If yes, what kind of music gives the best results? These likely far-fetched questions accurately express the slightly offbeat tone of When Tomatoes Met Wagner, a documentary that will crack a smile across your face on several occasions, also while delivering depth, notably in the form of pertinent reflections on agriculture, the economy, and the meaning of life. The filmmaker skillfully documents the difficult and improbable quest to make a small organic agricultural business profitable, one led with a mixture of care and improvisation by two endearing cousins, along with a few stalwart older women. The film also thus makes a record of an admirable collective will to exist and to assert oneself in a village that is more and more abandoned by the day, but yet still capable of nourishing the body and the spirit. To this effect, if an astounding honesty about the probability of success in such a challenging endeavour is portrayed in the film, it is also lit up by a contagious optimism that makes us want to–and indeed gives us reason to–believe.
Hubert Sabino-Brunette
Teacher and programmer
