Concerned about mental health in her small community, Leila Sweeney-McDougall made a film depicting the pressures that push farmers to suicide, as well as the trauma confronting those left behind.
Natural disasters, cost pressures and farm viability fears place extraordinary pressures on farmers, yet for many, it’s hard to talk about their struggles. Tragically, an Australian farmer dies by suicide every 10 days.
So, Leila and her husband Sean started a successful not-for-profit organisation ‘Live Rural’ that hosts a charity event called Mellow in the Yellow to get farmers talking about their mental health.
But Leila was determined to do more. With no previous film experience, she raised $2 million and wrote, produced and co-starred in a powerful feature film. Since its release in 2024, ‘Just a Farmer’ has received critical acclaim, national distribution and festival success.
Most importantly, it’s become a national catalyst for community conversations about mental health, hope and healing.