Walcha's Leila McDougall tackles mental health in debut film

Her debut film, Just a Farmer, recently hit regional cinemas. And now it has arrived on the big screen in the north west.

Ms McDougall said the film puts the mental health of farmers in the spotlight and sheds light on a topic many have previously swept under the rug.

"A lot of people think I'm crazy for putting it on the big screen," she said.

"I do hope it opens conversations and encourages people to ask questions, while normalising people talking about mental health and suicide."

The story unfolds from the perspective of a 'generational farming family' and tells of the emotional roller coaster they experience after the loss of a loved one.

The characters, she said, can be found in many regional communities.

"Everyone knows an Owen [the town drunk] in their community, or a gossip girl, or just a kid. It is a typical way of life," she said.

"You write what you know, and that is the culture that I grew up in."

Ms McDougall said farming and farmers are integral to our communities.

"Even the popcorn we eat at the cinema comes from a farmer," she said.

But a farmer's livelihood can change in an instant. And that's something we see time and time again, Ms McDougall said, when natural disasters strike, or there's a personal or family trauma.

The 2023 National Farmer Wellbeing Report revealed close to half of farmers have had thoughts of self-harm, or suicide and almost one third of farmers have attempted to take their own life, or attempted self-harm.

Ms McDougall said the film explores these issues and needs to be shown in metro areas, along with regional centres.

"We want to prove that people care about farmers and that audiences want to see authentic Australian stories," she said.

"I think it needs to reach metro audiences. We have had a lot of people ask us when it is coming to Brisbane, Sydney, or Melbourne.

"It is really hard, as we are up against big studios or blockbuster films. It is quite hard for Australian independent films to get into the marketplace."

Ms McDougall's own life story has its twists and turns.

She went from being a farmer to a showgirl, a fashion designer, teacher, mental health advocate, and now writer and actor.

"Everything I have done throughout life has been preparing me for this," she said.

"All the different skill sets you get from different areas. Like learning public speaking skills, managing people, and design and artistic skills.

"All these different skill sets have added to this moment."

Growing up with dyslexia, no one expected Ms McDougall to write a movie. But, instead of viewing it as a boundary, she sees it as a "superpower".

"Once you understand the powers that come with anything, like ADHD, your brain moves at a different speed than normal people, allowing you to do more things at once than other people," she said.

"With dyslexia, you have a more creative way of doing things. So, you have to learn what the superpowers are in your disability."

Ever the creative, Ms McDougall already has some ideas brewing for her follow-up film.

She said she wants to continue producing high-quality Australian films that audiences can connect to.