Review: Repetitive ‘Polyfaces,’ about a sustainable family farm, gets too preachy

A dynamic sequence in “Polyfaces,” a portrait of a sustainable family farm, zeros in on a robust flock of chickens. In a manure-enriched pasture, the birds feast on a smorgasbord of extravagantly diverse bugs. The footage stands in vibrant rebuke to the continued prevalence of industrialized agriculture. And at its best, the uneven documentary, subtitled “A World of Many Choices,” is fueled by that hopeful sense of alternatives.

For their first film, Australian farm designers Darren Doherty (credited as “creator”) and producer Lisa Heenan showcase what they consider “the best farm in the world” — the Salatin family’s Virginia enterprise, Polyface Farm, made famous in food-movement circles by writer Michael Pollan (who appears to sing its praises). The Salatins have been breaking the rules for more than 50 years, eschewing chemicals and letting cows and those bug-chomping chickens do their thing.

Heenan shared directing duties with daughter Isaebella Doherty, chronicling the farm over four years of changing seasons. They capture the hard work, the commitment to community and, above all, the connection to the land and animals. Though clearly a labor of love, the documentary is repetitive and preachy. The filmmakers’ intermittent commentary, in particular, has the off-putting effect of mini lectures.

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In its emphasis on the role of consumer demand in effecting change, the film offers educational and inspirational potential beyond the usual suspects of chefs, farmers and foodies. A few Polyface employees’ stories, at once half-told and oversold, offer examples of the life-changing benefits of eating nonprocessed food and working in harmony with nature. Better yet are the happy sighs of a toddler as she bites into a fresh-picked tomato.

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“Polyfaces.”

No MPAA rating.

Running time: 1 hour, 32 minutes.

Playing: Laemmle’s Town Center 5, Encino.