Private Project

EAT PRAY FARM: The Culture of Rice in Bali

A documentary short on the culture of rice farming in Bali, Indonesia. This film explores the harmony of nature, people, and religion through the lens of a sustainable water management and irrigation system known as SUBAK used in the Balinese rice fields for over 1,000 years.

  • Lauren Michele
    Director
  • Lauren Michele
    Writer
  • Lauren Michele
    Producer
  • Kadek Gunawan
    Key Cast
  • Joe Caves
    Narration
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Environmental, Education, Culture, Religion, Farming, Sustainability, International, Documentary, Documentary Short, Agriculture, Spirituality
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes 44 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    June 5, 2016
  • Production Budget:
    0 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Indonesia
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Lauren Michele

Lauren Michele, Founder of Policy in Motion, has a Masters of Science degree from UC Davis in sustainability policy and has worked to advance California's land use and transportation planning for 10 years. She found in the last decade of working on local sustainability projects and state legislative policy, that multi-media formats are a powerful way to communicate important concepts to both the public and Legislators. She produced her first film documentary in 2012, Growing Beautiful Communities, as part of an educational effort to help policy-makers understand the importance of providing funding for sustainable community practices that can improve community quality of life while meeting California’s environmental and economic goals.

In 2011, she authored a book called "Policy in Motion: Transportation Planning in California after AB 32" based on her graduate research focused on the links between climate change and urban development.

Policy in Motion’s book and film are available for purchase on-line at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

My husband and I eloped to Bali in January of 2015 and were first introduced to the incredible culture of this unique Hindu island in Indonesia. We both work in California in sustainability policy, including water and conservation issues often posed from development, and were captivated by the system of water management the Balinese have been using in their rice fields for over 1,000 years. The spiritual culture and the importance of rice farming in daily Balinese life also added to the narrative as a compelling story.

We established many relationships with Balinese families we met, and as a result decided to return one year later (January 2016) and shoot a film highlighting the harmonious culture and sustainable practices underpinning Balinese rice farming. One of our dear friends from Ubud, Bali – Kadek Gunawan – offered to star in the documentary and shared his knowledge and experiences with us. My husband volunteered to record the brief narration in the beginning and end of the film, helping to tie the story together. He was also out in the field recording with Kadek and me and can be heard clarifying Balinese words for an English-speaking audience. Kadek’s English is very impressive so I chose not to subtitle the film, however, I did feel captions on key concepts would help the audience fully understand his message in case his Balinese accent was difficult at times to hear. Additionally, we were constantly up against loud crickets and background noise.

Enjoy the documentary short!