Sometimes you don’t have to reach too deep to figure out the pleasures of a film. WOOLLY is one such film which combines beautiful landscapes, meaningful but not easy work, personal relationships, and cute animals to create a portrait of a way of life. A way of life that may be on its way out. Or based on the hopeful tone struck, maybe not.
WOOLLY captures a year plus in the life of a sheep farm. But it’s a year of transition as daughter Rakel Nystabakk moves back to the family farm with her wife Ida to take over from her aging parents. And it’s all captured by director and photographer Rebecca Nystabakk, Rakel’s sister.
I think the publicity for the film sold it as something of a comedy of people in over their head. Right off it’s clear that Rakel was raised on the family farm and at least has a general idea of how to do things. In the first few minutes, she’s tasked with putting down a sick sheep. And rather than being in your face like the opening minutes of TOUKI BOUKI, Rakel handles the task matter of factly and with a minimum of fuss. And that’s how the film presents itself, it’s not sensational or exagerrated, and it understands that putting down animals is part of the deal. It also understands that they can be awfully cute, especially when you give them names and enjoy watching their escapades. There’s a cute black goat that bonds with Rakel that’s milked for all the antics its worth.
But, if the film it’s sentimental, it’s sentimental around the people. Rakel and Rebecca’s dad is old, suffering from a bad back, and an invaluable help as he teaches Rakel and offers a hand. Perhaps more than is absolutely necessary. You get the sense that he never planned on retiring and is at a loss for what to do. But, helping his daughter is one thing that still keeps him going.
The film does capture many facets of farming, and it helps that Rebecca and Rakel are self-aware about the whole enterprise. Providing wool and food is a noble profession, especially in rugged terrain that still calls for doing a lot of work manually, rather than rely on machinery. And it is both exhilirating to help birth lambs, and heartbreaking when not all of them make it. And exhausting when you’re needed day and night over a couple of weeks. And the male lambs will be shipped off to slaughter. And predators will claim some of the remaining. There will be good days and bad days, but being a good sheep farmer depends on caring and doing what is right.
WOOLLY isn’t a particularly complicated film, but it is rewarding in its own simple charms.
The 2025 Milwaukee Film Festival runs from April 24, 2025 until May 8, 2025. WOOLLY plays once more at 1:30 PM on Wednesday, May 7, 2025 at the Oriental Theatre. Tickets to WOOLLY and many other films can be purchased at MKEFILM.ORG.
