After a social misfit fails in life and love, he returns to the family farm, where he discovers an unexpected and bewitching affinity with cows.
When you are making that all-important decision of what you want to view when attending the New Zealand International Film Festival, it would be quite easy to overlook the documentary about a farmer who loves his cows. 104 minutes of a man in a paddock talking us through the personalities and eccentricities of his favourite bovine pets. However, what seems like an inconsequential farming documentary is actually a deep dive into mental illness, childhood trauma, and the negative effects of media.
Andrew Johnstone is our man-on-the-ground, guiding us through the discovery of a lifetime; the unexpected therapeutic effect of farming, and the kindness of cows. When the Cows Come Home weaves two narrative story arcs; the life history of Johnstone, and the evolution of his farming strategy. The latter farming strategy proves to be the stronger arc initially, Johnstone's life history hits hard at the end, merging the arcs into a singular unified vision.
There is an air of innocence and wholesomeness that isn't always attributed to the farming occupation. The reality of breeding and raising cows for slaughter provides that grounded reality of where our beef comes from, but the mental wear and tear that the process can cause on the farmers is not often delved into. For those who see the occupation as more than a job, for those who love seeing their bovine fellows interacting, growing, and adventuring, living their best life, it is a harrowing experience to knowingly cut those lives short in the name of making beef for the masses.
The tenderness and love that Johnstone holds for his pets Tilly and Maggie are reminiscent of the emotions we have for our own domestic pets; each animal has their own personality, likes and dislikes. When the Cows Come Home does more for the vegan/vegetarian movement than any other documentary that I've seen, as doesn't focus on the brutal end, so much as on the lives that they live, and how their presence impacts those around them.
Calming, therapeutic, cathartic, tranquil...however you want to describe it, there is no denying the relaxing way in which Johnstone approaches farming. It all connects back to who Johnstone is as a person, his trials and tribulations, traumas, and mental illnesses. His life comes from the era before mental health was a spectrum; before it was understood what mental illnesses truly meant, or how to adapt to a prognosis. Johnstone has been through a life of conflicting victimization and rebellious anarchy. Musician. Reviewer. Farmer. In and out of the public eye, Johnstone would never say that he has been afraid to try anything, but his battles with mental illness have taught him to recognize and respond accordingly, by withdrawing to the safety of his cows.
Disarmingly charming, though occasionally narratively muddy, When the Cows Come Home is a heartwarming treat that breaks the mould of conventional documentaries. More observational and situational awareness than hard-hitting facts and investigative journalism, this is an experience to enjoy at your own pace.
When the Cows Come Home is premiering at the 2022 NZ International Film Festival