It’s no exaggeration to say that farmers are the lifeblood of Australia.

Everything we eat, and most of what we wear, is produced on a the land, and across our continent farmers and their families experience drought, fire and flood, often enduring when the odds seem stacked against them.

And it can be an isolating vocation, with many farmers working far from the support systems that exist in more populated parts of the country.

It’s with this in mind that people are being asked to buy a ticket to a special screening of the Australian film Just A Farmer, being held on Wednesday 9 April.

Showing at the historic Capri Theatre in Goodwood, the film aims to shine a light on rural mental health while raising funds for vital support services.

The movie, produced by and starring farmer and mental health advocate Leila McDougall, is sparking much-needed conversations about the mental health challenges facing farmers in regional Australia and the silent struggle that many farmers face, along with the impact it has on both their families and their communities.

The screening will be followed by a panel discussion featuring McDougall and other special guests, diving into the film’s themes of resilience, mental health and the tight-knit nature of farming communities.

The screening is presented by the State Government and Primary Producers SA, with PIRSA’s Executive Director of Industry, Strategy and Partnerships Jo Collins saying that the film was a “powerful and moving” experience.

"It really looks into some of the struggles that our farmers and their families face, struggles that many people living in the city don't ever think about," Ms Collins said. 

"We're currently in drought in South Australia, but we experience fires, we've experienced floods, frost … as well as pest and disease outbreaks.

"And then you have trade disruptions that impact on markets, and we certainly saw that with the China disruptions, particularly for wine and for crayfish.

"So there are a lot of risk factors, and in addition to that you've got social isolation and remote working conditions, which can be extremely lonely.

"And you often have people living in regional communities that also have first responder responsibilities as well, whether that might be in their work capacity or in the community roles that they're in as well."

Ms Collins said there were sobering statistics around working on the land, the most shocking being that farmers were twice as likely to die from suicide than members of the wider working population.

"A farmer dies of suicide every 10 days," she said.

"And of course behind every suicide is the loss of someone very special, which has a ripple effect on not only the person's family, but their friends and their work mates and the broader community.

"And that's particularly tough in small rural towns."

Ms Collins said that while people in the city could feel disconnected from these issues, one way to rectify this would be to watch Just A Farmer.

"Your ticket will actually go towards helping deliver mental health in in rural communities, so that’s a really simple way to help," she said.

"You can also show your appreciation for our farmers by buying local."

All proceeds from ticket sales will go the Rural Business Support Relief Fund to support mental health and wellbeing programs for rural families experiencing tough times.

The event is funded through the State Government’s Connecting Communities Program, part of a broader drought support package.

Just A Farmer screens at the Capri Theatre, Goodwood, on 9 April at 6.30pm. For more information and to book tickets, click here. (external site)

If this story raises issues you can talk to Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14.