The Canadian premiere of Truck Farm is set to take place at David Thompson Secondary School (DTSS) in Invermere. The film will be screened in the DTSS Theatre on Tuesday, March 15 at 7 p.m.

Truck Farm takes a look at the quirky world of urban agriculture.

Using green roof technology and heirloom seeds, filmmaker Ian Cheney plants a garden on the only land he’s got: the back of his Granddad’s old pickup truck.

Once the truck bed begins to sprout, he and the Truck Farm set out to explore the rooftops, barges and windows that represent New York City’s newest edible oases.

The film is a whimsical call-to-farms, featuring nutritionist Marion Nestle, Chef Dan Barber, and musical narration by Brooklyn’s new sound The Fishermen Three.

According to Alison Bell, the Chef Instructor at DTSS, “Food security is of vital importance to the sustainability of all communities, small and large, rural and urban.  This film provides a unique and fun example of how we can draw attention to the importance of a sustainable local food system in an urban setting.  But, the lessons being taught are universally applicable.”

This event is a fund-raiser for the DTSS Slow Food Youth Exchange and it is brought to you by DTSS, Slow Food Columbia Valley, The Columbia Valley Botanical Gardens and College of the Rockies.

The program has many different benefits for the students at the school.

“The proceeds from the film will go towards our fund-raising  efforts, as well as raising awareness amongst the students about the importance of local food production and food security,” Bell said. “Twelve Tourism and Chef Training students from DTSS are taking part in an exchange with 14 students from Dennis Morris Secondary School in St. Catherines, Ontario.  They are staying with us for the first week of March.  During that time the students will be preparing frozen meals for the Food Bank, volunteering at the Community Greenhouse, visiting Panorama, Fairmont, and Nipika Resorts, touring Kicking Horse Coffee and spending a day in Banff.  The students will be previewing the film, Truck Farm, at a special private screening at Eagle Ranch Golf Resort.  The visiting students are billeted by the DTSS students. We will be travelling to Ontario the first week in May and during our stay, we will be taking part in a two day Slow Food Youth Symposium in Stratford, Ontario.  We will also be preparing a community dinner, visiting Niagara Falls and Niagara School of Hospitality while being hosted,”

Admission for the film is by donation.