Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
After an Irish farmer’s breakdown and death, his friends struggle to express grief. His ghost’s appearance at an estate auction finally releases their repressed emotions in unexpected ways.
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FARMERS!? by Freddie Leyden
freddieleyden.com
"One of the most important things that helped transform the original image of the dancing farmers into a fully formed narrative was the song the farmer sings at the beginning of the film. I became fascinated by the idea of what would happen if this farmer, with only a rudimentary understanding of how to play an instrument, tried to express something profound through music. What would that sound like? What would he choose to sing about? I was thinking about artists like Daniel Johnston and even Brian Wilson, artists whose songs feel raw, instinctive and emotionally direct. I wanted to create a kind of outsider art version of that, an expression of what a farmer from my part of the world might sing if he were trying to articulate the things he couldn’t otherwise say. In many ways, that song became the emotional and thematic blueprint for the entire film. Lines like “Are we friendly now though? Ha!” and “I knew your people… Jesus mine trapped me” felt funny, strange and deeply human. More than anything, I wanted him to sound desperately lonely…"
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of FARMERS!? with our exclusive interview with writer/director Freddie Leyden
directorsnotes.com/2026/07/06/freddie-leyden-farmers
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// Credits //
Directed by Freddie Leyden
Written by Freddie Leyden & Clare Hoey
Production Company Haus Pictures
Producer Harri Kamalanathan
Producer Jens Nielsen
Producer Sophie Ede
Cinematography David Bird
Choreographer Alexandra Green
Casting Director Áine O'Sullivan
Original Music By Mathew Wilcock Matthew Wilcock
Production Designer Richard Nik Evans
Hair and Makeup Designer Clare Lambe
Costume Designer Tara Knol
Editor Freddie Leyden
VFX Artist Slavko Gavric
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#masculinity #dance #ghost #farmers #shortfilm
After an Irish farmer’s breakdown and death, his friends struggle to express grief. His ghost’s appearance at an estate auction finally releases their repressed emotions in unexpected ways.
🔔 Love indie films? SUBSCRIBE to Directors Notes for more trailblazing shorts: youtube.com/c/directorsnotes
🎥 Want to see your film here? Submit your work to Directors Notes: directorsnotes.com/submit
FARMERS!? by Freddie Leyden
freddieleyden.com
"One of the most important things that helped transform the original image of the dancing farmers into a fully formed narrative was the song the farmer sings at the beginning of the film. I became fascinated by the idea of what would happen if this farmer, with only a rudimentary understanding of how to play an instrument, tried to express something profound through music. What would that sound like? What would he choose to sing about? I was thinking about artists like Daniel Johnston and even Brian Wilson, artists whose songs feel raw, instinctive and emotionally direct. I wanted to create a kind of outsider art version of that, an expression of what a farmer from my part of the world might sing if he were trying to articulate the things he couldn’t otherwise say. In many ways, that song became the emotional and thematic blueprint for the entire film. Lines like “Are we friendly now though? Ha!” and “I knew your people… Jesus mine trapped me” felt funny, strange and deeply human. More than anything, I wanted him to sound desperately lonely…"
🎙️ Dive deeper into the making of FARMERS!? with our exclusive interview with writer/director Freddie Leyden
directorsnotes.com/2026/07/06/freddie-leyden-farmers
👉 Follow Us for More Short Film Greatness:
Newsletter: directorsnotes.beehiiv.com/subscribe
Instagram: instagram.com/directorsnotes
Podcast: pod.link/192507317
// Credits //
Directed by Freddie Leyden
Written by Freddie Leyden & Clare Hoey
Production Company Haus Pictures
Producer Harri Kamalanathan
Producer Jens Nielsen
Producer Sophie Ede
Cinematography David Bird
Choreographer Alexandra Green
Casting Director Áine O'Sullivan
Original Music By Mathew Wilcock Matthew Wilcock
Production Designer Richard Nik Evans
Hair and Makeup Designer Clare Lambe
Costume Designer Tara Knol
Editor Freddie Leyden
VFX Artist Slavko Gavric
ABOUT DIRECTORS NOTES
Since 2006 Directors Notes has curated the world's best independent films alongside exclusive daily deep dive interviews which provide behind the scenes insights into the inspirations and production stories of the most talented filmmakers on the planet.
#masculinity #dance #ghost #farmers #shortfilm
