Things That Happen on Earth

Brave cattle ranchers in an increasingly arid part of Italy have changed course: this couple with two children have imported heat-resistant livestock from the United States, invested in an inventive breeding program, and introduced an ecologically responsible grazing plan.

But the costs are high, as are the risks. Wolves have made their home around the ranch, and regulations and shareholders prove to be as forbidding as the landscape on which these ranchers herd their cattle, like archetypal cowboys complete with lassos, cowboy hats and western saddles.

Michele Cinque followed the family over an extended period. He shows their lives without commentary, in wide, stylish shots—down to the microcosm in the rugged landscape. In voice-over, the mother and daughter talk about the ranch, the family history, the maverick choices of the parents, and their dreams and worries. They also discuss their vision of life, in which all animals, including the threatening wolves, and human beings themselves, are part of the natural cycle.