For a movie with such a benign title, "The Garden" has the impact of a bulldozer.
Scott Hamilton Kennedy's Oscar-nominated documentary explores the division between rich landowners and poor farmers, between African-American and Latino activism in south-central L.A., between the powerful and the powerless -- all with the propulsive force of a crackerjack thriller.
The titular garden is the South Central Farm, 14 acres in southern Los Angeles that in 2004 was the largest urban community farm in the country. Some 350 families, most of them of Mexican descent, produced crops on land the city had acquired through "eminent domain" to build a waste incinerator -- a project stopped by a community protest led by the fiery African-American community activist Juanita Tate.
In 2003, the city sold the land to developer Ralph Horowitz, who used to own it, in a questionable backroom deal involving Tate and L.A. City Councilwoman Jan Perry, a powerful politician in the South Central neighborhood.
In 2004, Horowitz ordered the farmers to vacate the garden within two months. The farmers lawyered up, fighting back with a restraining order, a lawsuit and a media campaign that attracted such celebrity firepower as Daryl Hannah, Danny Glover, Martin Sheen and Rage Against the Machine's Zack de la Rocha.
But fighting the Los Angeles power base proved more difficult. One of the recurring themes of Kennedy's documentary is how these farmers regularly put their trust in powerful people to do the right thing -- and then are disappointed when they don't. Then-councilman Antonio Villaraigosa spoke loudly in support of the farmers, but once he was elected mayor and fearful of riling Perry, Villaraigosa's support for the farmers dried up. In another scene, the farmers get excited that a presidential candidate is visiting, then learn that it's just Dennis Kucinich.
"The Garden" captures some intriguing side developments -- a dispute within the ranks of the farmers, and the bitterness of established African-American activists against their recently arrived Latino neighbors -- that could have been fleshed out more. But for the most part, Kennedy brings to this land dispute the urgency of a good suspense drama, making us hold our breath before an outcome that is stirring and unexpected.
A documentary, about a community garden under fire from a developer, plays out like a thriller.
Where » Broadway Centre Cinemas.
When » Opens today.
Rating » Not rated, but probably PG-13 for language and images of violence.
Running time » 80 minutes; in English and Spanish with subtitles.
