The Hutterites: To Care and Not To Care

Inventors of the kindergarten and existing as the world's oldest communitarians, the Hutterites live a life completely at odds with western norms. Their communities, or colonies, are always rural and are largely self-sufficient. From the cradle to the grave, members depend on their co-colonists for their well-being. With no television or radio, one would think they would be largely uninformed about the state of the world. But their social networks and their intense curiosity and creativity inform them in ways that keep them surprisingly up-to-date. While eschewing social interactions, they willingly and enthusiastically embrace farm-related technology. Much of their equipment is either made or modified by their craftsmen. Their costume, descended from medieval times, clearly distinguish them from the surrounding culture. This film exposes the audience to an intimate yet respectful look at the inner workings of the group that inhabit parts of Canada and the U.S.