A fascinating document of a fast-disappearing way of life, The Year of the Working Sheepdog is an examination of a living, working farm. Followed by cameras over the course of 12 months, shepherd David Kennard and narrator Christopher Timothy take the viewer through the seasons on Kennard's North Devon farm, accompanied at all times by his faithful set of Border Collie sheepdogs. With the Atlantic coastline forming a spectacular backdrop, the shepherd and his dogs demonstrate the incredible relationship between man and animal, a relationship rarely matched for sheer instinct and communication.
With its low budget production and Timothy's enthusiastic narration, The Year of the Working Sheepdog is ever so slightly reminiscent of an old-style education film, but nonetheless paints a charming picture of a longstanding way of life. There is little evidence of the increasing mechanisation of the industry and the crises that would affect many farms, Kennard's included, but this is certainly recommended to those with an interest in the countryside and its unique ways. --Phil Udell
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