‘Just like the bad things, the
beautiful things are temporary too.’
Roberto Olivera was raised in poverty in southern
California, where he worked the tomato fields alongside his mother and abusive
stepfather, migrant workers from Mexico. Now in his 60s, financially successful
and with a family of his own, Olivera has grown to understand the meaning
behind his mother’s frequent refrain: ‘La vida es sufrir’ (‘Life is
suffering’). With an understated melancholy, Field Song pairs
Olivera’s poignant reflections with views of southern California’s agricultural
landscapes, presenting hardship as both temporary and timeless.
Director: Brad Bischoff
Producer: Alex Hidalgo
Director of Photography: Casey Bohrnell
4 December 2017
‘Life is to plow.’ A reflection on struggle, success and the impermanence of both | Aeon Videos
