“I’ve never really been very lonely because I’ve always had something to do,” says Agatha Bock. A single Manitoban in her mid-80s, Agatha has fashioned herself an essentially self-sufficient lifestyle on her 54-acre ancestral farm, where she spends her days growing delectable fruits and vegetables from heirloom seeds. Her tools are held together with duct tape, her green thumb plastered in a cast, but neither her advanced age nor doctors’ orders can hold her back from the satisfaction of tending to her crops.
Amalie Atkins’ debut feature documentary chronicles her aunt Agatha’s daily rituals over the course of six years as she shares practical farming tips, Mennonite recipes for pierogies, and captivating stories from her life. Colourful montages of Agatha’s patchwork quilts, hand-labeled jars, and gardening gloves call to a family history lovingly preserved through all things handmade and homegrown. Shot on vibrant 16mm film by cinematographer Rhayne Vermette (Ste. Anne, VIFF 2021) and paired with a relaxing lo-fi soundtrack by Green-House, Agatha’s Almanac draws an artful portrait of simple, sustainable living.
Best Canadian Feature Documentary, Hot Docs 2025
Oct 3 & 5: Q&A
Presented by
Community Partner
Agatha Bock
Canada
2025
English
Open to youth
Book Tickets
Credits & Director
Producer
Amalie Atkins
Screenwriter
Amalie Atkins
Cinematography
Rhayne Vermette
Editor
Amalie Atkins
Original Music
Green-House (Olive Ardizoni), Castle If (Jess Forrest), Katarina Gryvul, Andrea-Jane Cornell
Amalie Atkins
Amalie Atkins is a multidisciplinary artist based in Saskatoon. Renowned for her films and video installations, Atkins creates cinematic fables that blend 16mm film, performance, textiles, installations, and analog photography to imprint a fictional world onto everyday life. Her work has been featured in major survey exhibitions and her films have screened internationally, including at the Berlin International Art Film Festival, Bucharest Film Awards, Festival International Signes de Nuit in Paris, Montreal Independent Film Festival, Dresdner Schmalfilmtage, and Analogue Resilience in Toronto.
Missing VIFF? Check out what's playing at the VIFF Centre
Jay Kelly
In Noah Baumbach's wise and witty comedy, George Clooney plays Jay Kelly, a world-famous movie star touring Europe with his friend and manager, Ron (Adam Sandler). Faced with nagging dissatisfaction, Jay starts to ask himself some tough questions.
Meadowlarks
Fifty years after being separated during the Sixties Scoop, four Cree siblings reunite for the first time on a long weekend trip to Banff. Tasha Hubbard’s sensitive drama relates an emotional and life-affirming story of kinship and belonging.
Wisdom of Happiness
An audience with the Dalai Lama, who, at 90, looks back on his life and shares the tenets of Buddhism as a practical guide to surviving the 21st Century with joy and compassion.