Set against the stunning landscapes of North East England, Addicted to Sheep is an intimate portrait of a year in the life of a family of tenant hill farmers as they try to breed the perfect sheep. Through all four seasons of rain, shine, sleet and snow, they toil away, doing the hard work necessary to survive. While the odds are often stacked against them, the importance of family life and a tight knit community provides insight into a way of life far removed from the high-tech hustle and bustle of modern life. Beautifully observed and charmingly funny, this film allows us to experience life on a hill farm without having to get dirty.
Director’s Statement: Magali Pettier
I was brought up on a dairy farm in Brittany, France and therefore know life can be tough for small farmers anywhere. They rarely take holidays; they worry about cash flow and they cope with all the uncertainties of the weather. I was tired of hearing people say farmers were all wealthy and set out to challenge this misconception. As a filmmaker, now based in North East England, I was drawn to the world of tenant hill farmers, which we don’t have in France, and decided to look into their little-known way of life with a quiet observational style.
