In the heart of an Alsatian Vosges valley, the Runtzenbach farm embodies a model of peasant, organic, and community-driven agriculture. This refuge from the consumerist world is the life’s work of Monique and Francis Schirck. It has given them much, but it has also taken much from them—sometimes down to the very depths of their being. After a lifetime of hard work, a fragile balance has finally been achieved. But Francis is now 67: the time for retirement has come. They must now “pass it on” to ensure that the farm and the values it carries do not disappear. Their only daughter will not become a farmer. So whom should they “pass it on” to? How can they make sure that the struggle of a lifetime endures? From the farmers’ dismay when faced with traditional models of farm succession to the exploration of new possibilities, we will follow—over several months, from the inside—the unfolding of this complex question of transmission. A story that is both unique and universal. A pivotal moment in which the agricultural systems of tomorrow are being shaped, along with our vision of the world.
If you are an organization, a local authority, an individual and you would be interested to disseminate the full movie (92 min) with its English substitles, please contact: