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Kiss the Ground

Play trailer Poster for Kiss the Ground PG 2020 1h 24m Documentary Play Trailer Watchlist
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88% Tomatometer 8 Reviews 99% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
Activists, scientists, farmers and politicians turn to regenerative agriculture to save the planet's topsoil.
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Kiss the Ground

Critics Reviews

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Bilge Ebiri Spirituality & Health 05/24/2021
This is a fascinating film, but more importantly, it's a convincing one. Go to Full Review
Kate Erbland IndieWire 09/28/2020
C+
While platitudes about how this is really just about love - not money or industry or good old-fashioned greed - are far too simplistic, at least the movie attempts to make its issues feel personal enough to make people care. Go to Full Review
Kevin Crust Los Angeles Times 09/25/2020
It's dense but nutritious. The science is explained in simple terms with plenty of visually striking graphics and animation. Go to Full Review
Brian Costello Common Sense Media 01/20/2021
4/5
Thoughtful docu addresses solutions to soil erosion crisis. Go to Full Review
Graeme Tuckett The Post NZ 10/26/2020
A refreshingly positive and practical guide to climate change and something we can actually do to combat it immediately. Go to Full Review
Carla Renata The Curvy Film Critic 10/11/2020
climate Change is definitely real and this doc proves it while encouraging and teaching the human race how we can save the earth and save ourselves. Should be watched by every living human being! Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Carey L @RT34110350 1d I absolutely loved this movie. Anything that Woody Harrelson is willing to do, I trust his choices, this film is so thought provoking and the practices so needed in our day and age. Nice to know regenerative farming is gaining traction. I live in Canada and there are a few here in my province of Ontario, I hope one day they will surpass factory farming. Thank you 🙏 Woody for standing behind this! See more Nat R @RT87924539 Jun 26 Now this is how you make a documentary. See more Nevaeh C @gracecrayton22 Mar 12 Directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell and narrated by Woody Harrelson, Kiss the Ground reframes the climate crisis through the lens of regenerative agriculture. The documentary argues that restoring soil health is a vital, hopeful solution to global warming. By moving away from pesticides and traditional tillage in favor of cover crops and managed grazing, farmers can transform soil into a powerful carbon sink. A key demonstration by scientist Ray Archuleta visually proves that healthy soil absorbs more carbon dioxide and retains more water than degraded earth. Featuring insights from experts and advocates like Gabe Brown and the Arquettes, the film illustrates how these practices revitalize ecosystems. While it simplifies some complex global systems, its primary goal is to inspire action over despair. The message is clear: healing our soil is essential for sustaining life. As Harrelson notes, the fight for our planet’s future is one we cannot afford to give up on. See more Maggie B @RT11899578 Sep 19 From CO2 emissions to extreme weather, it is clear that our Earth is experiencing a crisis. Little did I know, the solution to combating these large-scale issues was right beneath my feet. The impact of soil spans far and wide, and Kiss the Ground does a phenomenal job at covering this. The filmmakers, Joshua and Rebecca Tickell, not only transformed my perspective on soil, but helped me understand the power I have as an individual to build a better future for our world. With the help of Woody Harrelson’s amazing narration, the film demonstrates how industrial farming has harmed the environment and people, while also pointing to solutions that could resolve these issues. The documentary inspired me as a viewer by raising awareness to each of these situations by balancing grounded realities with hope for solutions. The filmmakers combine farmer stories, history, and science to show the global impact of regenerative agriculture. Darius Fisher’s dynamic animations and descriptive visuals does an impeccable job at translating complex issues into digestible takeaways that leave a lasting impact. Furthermore, the cinematography done by Simon Balderas blew me away. With aerial views of farms, acres of crops, and timelapses of the changing of land create an immersive experience for the viewer. By featuring admirable individuals, including singer/songwriter Jason Mraz, the film connects with the audience through notable figures. Jason Mraz shows his own agroforestry, while reminding viewers that anyone is capable of positive change; all you need is a little land. Overall, Kiss the Ground is both eye-opening and inspiring. With powerful visuals and practical solutions, it shows that even small actions like planting a tree or composting can make a difference. I highly recommend it to anyone who cares about the future of our planet. See more Isaiah A @RT74482338 06/25/2025 When all doors out of the climate crisis were shut, this film opened a window to safety. Before seeing this film, I had never heard of Regenerative Agriculture, much less that it could be the key to reversing the climate crisis! This is an environmental documentary that, for the first time in a long time, has left me with a sense of power and agency despite the obstacles we face. And with veteran eco-documentarians like Joshua and Rebecca Tickell behind the project, it’s no wonder how artfully this film delivers its emboldening message. This film has a lot to offer for all sorts of folks: from local farmers, to gardeners, to everyday people looking to eat healthy. While Woody Harrelson delivers resonant and compelling narration of the film’s bigger ideas, Ian Somerhalder travels to Zimbabwe with conservationist Allan Savory to discover how regenerative efforts have transformed arid land into green pastures. During Tom Brady’s cameo, he attests how the regeneratively grown foods he eats have kept him healthy and were a crucial factor in his athletic success. Meanwhile down-to-earth farmers and activists like permaculturalist Doniga Markegard and Detroit Dirt advocate Pashon Murray bring humanity to the topic, inviting us to consider the many opportunities we have in our day-to-day lives to help the planet. The story of regenerative rancher Gabe Brown was especially moving, as we learn how hard times led him to discover the regenerative principles that would change everything about how he ran his farm and ranch. If you’re ever on Amazon prime, this film is a fantastic way to spend an hour and a half that may even inspire new passions for a sort of green living we hadn’t known was possible. Thank you Joshua and Rebecca Tickell for showing us that the solutions were right under our feet! See more Joshua H @RT25773504 06/25/2025 With complex solutions and emotional exhaustion, it seems virtually impossible to find a key in aiding environmental health. But what if the answer is simpler and closer than you think? Well, all you need to do is go to the nearest plot of grass and grab a clump of soil. And now you have the key. Through the guiding narration of Woody Harrelson, the documentary Kiss the Ground takes the audience on an earthly journey to experience how the world can heal through regenerative agriculture. From different locations throughout the world, such as China and California, the documentary discovers numerous insights about regenerative agriculture - the process of rebuilding a previously devastated landscape while also reshaping it to repair the damage that humans have caused to the earth. The documentary follows insightful soil experts like Ray Archuleta breaking down soil health to farmers, rancher Doniga Markegard showcasing her regenerative lucious pastures, and chief scientist Dr. Kristine Nichols relates natural grown produce consumption to human health. But we also see some celebrities that are surprising and yet welcoming new insights you might not expect. Actor and founder of givelove.org Patricia Arquette travels to Haiti spreading the importance of composting to villages and songwriter/singer Jason Mraz shows the fresh produce he grows in his agroforestry at San Diego. Even though they have different insights, all of the folks share the same passion for humanity and the will to improve the world through regenerative agriculture. Through years of hard work, directors Joshua and Rebecca Harrell Tickell have put together an amazing crew at Big Picture Ranch. Together they have shared a message that all the world deserves to see. With the incredible work of editor Philip Beckner and animator Darius Fisher, the film accompanies the complicated explanations with colorful visuals so any audience member can follow and understand. It also helps that the interviewees that the directors selected not only convey their insights easily, but the audience can hear their sincerity. Simon Balderas’s cinematography hooks the audience to the narrative with POV shots lost within flourishing green fields and close up shots to fresh produce dotted with earth and colorfully contrasted against the rich earth background. Kiss the Ground masterfully combines the art of filmmaking while advocating the importance of environmental health. If one person can be moved by this work of art, then the world is now a bit better. See more Read all reviews
Kiss the Ground

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Movie Info

Synopsis Activists, scientists, farmers and politicians turn to regenerative agriculture to save the planet's topsoil.
Director
Joshua Tickell, Rebecca Harrell Tickell
Producer
Joshua Tickell, Bill Benenson, Rebecca Harrell Tickell, Ryland Engelhart, Darius Fisher
Screenwriter
Joshua Tickell, Johnny O'Hara, Rebecca Harrell Tickell
Production Co
The Redford Center, Big Picture Ranch, Benenson Productions
Rating
PG (Language|Thematic Elements|Some Smoking)
Genre
Documentary
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Sep 22, 2020
Runtime
1h 24m