“I had plenty to ponder on the drive home from Swanpool, as I had lived some of the realities faced by Alison, the film’s central character,” she said.
For Sally, who understood something of the pressures that could sit quietly within families and rural communities, the film struck a chord.
It also left her thinking about how much had changed since the days when difficult things simply weren’t talked about — and how important it was that those old ways didn’t carry through to the next generation.
Perhaps life’s difficult times are a little easier when we allow others to help, and our own district this year has been given a powerful reminder of what that support can look like.
When fire threatened Yarroweyah and surrounding districts, black smoke filled the sky and the danger was there for everyone to see.
Neighbours helped neighbours, and the wider community rallied around those affected.
There was food, hay, equipment, somewhere for livestock, donations and practical support ― people wanted to help and simply turned up where they were needed.
But what happens when there is no black smoke? When the struggle isn’t visible across a district, but is happening quietly within one family, one business or one person?
Someone might seem a little quieter than usual and a mate asks, “You right?” and they reply, “Yeah, I’m right.”
Maybe it is easier to put on a brave face because they don’t want to burden anyone, or perhaps there is embarrassment, or simply explaining it all feels overwhelming.
Behind that answer might be financial pressure, grief, family problems, a difficult season or a struggling business.
How do we recognise it? How do we start the conversation? And how easy is it for the person struggling to say, “Actually, I’m not okay”?
They are some of the questions Just A Farmer leaves us to think about.
What first caught Sally’s eye wasn’t just the film, but the chance to hear its creator, Leila McDougall, join a panel of health professionals and continue the conversation afterwards.
“That’s not a regular thing, is it? That’s what got me interested — and of course the country supper to follow was an attraction,” Sally said.
The film is written by and stars Leila, and is filmed on the farm she shares with husband Sean at Tatyoon in western Victoria.
Just A Farmer tells the story of Alison, a newly widowed mother trying to hold together her family and a failing farm while dealing with an alcoholic father-in-law and finding a way forward herself.
Sally eventually brought the idea of showing the film locally to the Rotary Club of Cobram and all the members said yes.
A committee was formed and local sponsors came on board, allowing the club to bring the film to the district as a free community event.
Our district has deep roots in agriculture — fruit and vegetables, dairy, cattle, sheep and cropping — supported by a network of suppliers, contractors, businesses, workers and families.
What happens beyond the farm gate inevitably flows into our towns.
Rotary Club of Cobram president and former farm veterinarian Bill Tom understands that connection well.
“I can remember many years when I was working as a farm vet wishing for a favourable season because of external pressures of low prices for milk, high feed costs or low water availability,” Bill said.
“My wish related to the success of the client business and a reduction of the emotional and financial pressure on the client.”
For the Rotary club, bringing Just A Farmer to Cobram is another way of serving a community it has been part of for more than 70 years, and this time by creating an opportunity for conversation.
“We hope that with Just A Farmer we can enhance the conversation around mental wellbeing and help people identify needs in themselves or people around them,” Bill said.
“We also want to strengthen the links between those in need and the services that are available.”
Just A Farmer reaches well beyond farming; it is a story about families, relationships, loss, resilience and community, all experiences that don’t stop at the farm gate.
Leila will be at Yarroweyah for the screening and panel discussion afterwards, giving the audience the same opportunity Sally had at Swanpool — to watch, listen and talk.
Because not every struggle comes with black smoke, sometimes it is much harder to see and perhaps a conversation is where we start.
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