‘Soil & Soul’ Selected for Iowa Film Festival
- Sangamon County News
- Apr 1
- 1 min read
Updated: Apr 2
The University of Illinois Springfield’s (UIS) Sangamon Experience documentary, Soil & Soul: Farming in the Sangamon River Valley, has been selected for screening at the Farm to Film Fest, taking place April 12-13 in Washington, Iowa.
The documentary, which premiered at UIS on Nov. 7, explores the lives of 10 individuals who have dedicated themselves to farming in the Sangamon River Valley, a region spanning approximately 1,500 square miles in central Illinois.
Soil & Soul was produced by Rich Saal, a former photography editor, and a documentary photographer and filmmaker, along with Noah Sabich, partner and founding member of global private equity firm Cimbria Capital and its consulting subsidiary, Cimbria Consulting. Saal also holds a master’s degree in history from UIS.
Anne Moseley, director and curator of the Sangamon Experience, emphasized the film’s role in preserving the voices of local farmers.
"We are honored that ‘Soil & Soul’ has been chosen for the Farm to Film Fest,” Moseley said. "This documentary shares the personal experiences of Sangamon River Valley farmers and highlights the vital role they play in our region’s history and culture.”
The documentary was made possible through the support of United Community Bank, with additional funding from the Melvin Wing Charitable Trust and the Dan and Carolyn Dungan Family Fund.
The Sangamon Experience, established in 2020, is dedicated to showcasing the history of the Sangamon region through on-campus exhibitions, digital projects, and community partnerships.