Alamo Drafthouse Presents The Garden [Director in Attendance]

Part legal thriller, part true-life human drama, Scott Hamilton Kennedy’s The Garden has received more than a few accolades since its release last year and now Austinites have a chance to see it. This Academy Award nominated documentary follows the plight of a few Los Angeles citizens as they fight to save their 14-acre public garden from the bulldozers of wealthy land developers, and judging from the trailer, a compelling struggle most definitely ensues.

Sprung from the few seeds of hope that managed to survive the 1992 L.A. riots, the film’s titular garden began as a distraction for a few disenchanted citizens and grew into an emblem of neighborly cooperation, culinary celebration and community betterment. Outrageously but somehow inevitably, this inner-city green space (and the downtrodden individuals who care for it) become endangered by greed and insensitivity, and Hamilton Kennedy was there to capture it all on film.

The development of a successful food-producing oasis amidst the gritty urban landscape of South Central Los Angeles makes for a fascinating story in itself, but The Garden encompasses so much more. Secret political dealings, racial tension and a battle that advances to City Hall and beyond make this doc a must-see for all you cinema verite junkies out there. Bonus: Hamilton Kennedy will be in attendance at the Sunday and Monday night screenings, so get your tickets now.