A new film + some big news
Published on November 27, 2025 by Happen Films Ltd
Dear Open Collective community,
We’ve just released our new short film, 15 Years of Limestone Permaculture Farm. This is a big event for us because it coincides with a huge change here at Happen Films. Grab a cuppa, folks, there’s a wonderful film to watch and some big news you might want to sit down for…
15 Years of Limestone Permaculture Farm
As many of you know, the very first film we – Jordan and Antoinette – made together back in 2015 was with the awesome Brett and Nici of Limestone Permaculture Farm. We were working on the feature film that launched Happen Films into existence (A Simpler Way) and we were on the road in New South Wales researching for it. That short film immediately found a niche out in YouTube land. In those days there weren’t so many quality films about permaculture and it was clear that there was a hunger for info and inspiration.
The enthusiasm and energy Brett shared with us on camera in that first film found an equally enthusiastic audience: “Simply awesome. I'm about to start from scratch and I've never felt more invigorated. So inspirational.” We were quick to take up the chance of filming with them again in 2019, for a film that met with a similar response from all of you. “Watching how this beautiful farm has evolved, thrived, and changed so many people’s lives for the better is truly inspirational!”
Now, 10 and a half years on from making that first film, we’re so pleased to be able to share a third film with you about Limestone Permaculture Farm. It’s incredible to see how this 1-acre property has evolved and we’re grateful to Brett and Nici for once again sharing their passion and knowledge with us. They’ve created something truly special, and their approach is so heartfelt and deeply passionate that you can’t help just loving everything about the place and people!
Watch the film here.
When we set out to make this film, we weren’t expecting it to also be the closing of a circle in time. It turns out that the subject of the first film we made together is also the subject of the last film we’ll make together…
The end of an era
Those of you who joined us in February to celebrate 10 years of Happen Films will recall our beginnings. A couple with no experience in film and a little bit of knowledge about permaculture, but a lot of passion for both. We’re no longer a couple but as we’ve continued working together at Happen Films our passion for storytelling as a response to our escalating global predicament has remained as strong as ever. We’re evolving beings, of course, and now our paths are diverging even further, as Jord has reached the decision to step away from Happen Films.
This is from Jord: For a while now I’ve been grappling with some challenging feelings when it comes to filmmaking, what’s sitting there for me is a somewhat confusing combination of burnout alongside a desire to explore something new. After sitting with this for the last year or so, I know that I need to trust that these feelings are taking me in the direction I need to go. Happen Films has been the only job I’ve ever had and it’s been my focus since we started back in 2015. Over ten years on, I have a strong desire to leave behind the familiarity of Happen Films, take a break to reignite my love for filmmaking, and discover what’s next.
To be honest I’m quite scared to jump into this uncertainty, to leave behind something so established and loved as Happen Films is, but if I listen to my heart I know this is what I need to do. I'm incredibly proud of what we’ve created over the last decade and doing this work has been so meaningful and rewarding. I’m so glad to know that all of the films will continue to live online and be viewed by many more people in the years to come. If you’d like to follow along with what comes next, you can find me on Instagram.
This is from Antoinette: Jord’s decision opens a door for me to consider what my own future looks like. Currently I’m sitting with the unknown to see what rises up, but what I’m sure of for now is that I’ll continue maintaining the Happen Films website and YouTube channel for as long as I’m able, so that the films Jord and I have made together remain available online and for community screenings. I’ll continue responding to emails and managing the inevitable admin that exists whether or not we’re making films. Jord is happy for me to carry on making films under the Happen Films banner and I would love to do that, as I don’t feel quite ready to move on from HF. However, I'll take a break before deciding whether that’s the right path for me.
How things will look from now on
You can still watch all our films, of course! There are 35 short films, 2 feature films, plus our 7 podcast episodes and 7 full-length interviews free to watch on our website and on YouTube, and our latest feature film, The New Peasants, can be rented via Kinema. To share our films, including The New Peasants, with your community, you can still purchase screening licences from the website Store, and you can expect a reply from Antoinette to emails about tech issues or the like.
We’re no longer accepting donations, and we’ve now paused the donations function here on Open Collective. For the time being, the costs of keeping the website live will be covered by YouTube ad revenue, so please do keep sharing our films! Using the remaining funds here on Open Collective, Antoinette will continue to be paid to manage the website, YouTube channel and respond to emails/reconcile accounts.
Gratitude
We are so grateful to everyone who has followed our journey over the last 11 years. Thank you for sharing our films, supporting the films financially (without which they wouldn’t exist), and for countless emails of enthusiasm, encouragement and love.
We’ve felt privileged to work alongside Ray Milidoni, Lou Ridsdale, Jason Hosking, Nick Tucker, Anna Veale and Charlotte Squire, who have each brought enthusiasm and skill to our small team in their various and unique ways.
And our profound gratitude to everyone who allowed us, and our camera, into their lives in order to share their stories. We have learnt so much from you and our own lives have been shaped by you.
Wish us luck as we step onto our respective new paths, and we both wish you good luck and wellbeing on your own.
Arohanui/love
Antoinette & Jordan
We’ve just released our new short film, 15 Years of Limestone Permaculture Farm. This is a big event for us because it coincides with a huge change here at Happen Films. Grab a cuppa, folks, there’s a wonderful film to watch and some big news you might want to sit down for…
15 Years of Limestone Permaculture Farm
As many of you know, the very first film we – Jordan and Antoinette – made together back in 2015 was with the awesome Brett and Nici of Limestone Permaculture Farm. We were working on the feature film that launched Happen Films into existence (A Simpler Way) and we were on the road in New South Wales researching for it. That short film immediately found a niche out in YouTube land. In those days there weren’t so many quality films about permaculture and it was clear that there was a hunger for info and inspiration.
The enthusiasm and energy Brett shared with us on camera in that first film found an equally enthusiastic audience: “Simply awesome. I'm about to start from scratch and I've never felt more invigorated. So inspirational.” We were quick to take up the chance of filming with them again in 2019, for a film that met with a similar response from all of you. “Watching how this beautiful farm has evolved, thrived, and changed so many people’s lives for the better is truly inspirational!”
Now, 10 and a half years on from making that first film, we’re so pleased to be able to share a third film with you about Limestone Permaculture Farm. It’s incredible to see how this 1-acre property has evolved and we’re grateful to Brett and Nici for once again sharing their passion and knowledge with us. They’ve created something truly special, and their approach is so heartfelt and deeply passionate that you can’t help just loving everything about the place and people!
Watch the film here.
When we set out to make this film, we weren’t expecting it to also be the closing of a circle in time. It turns out that the subject of the first film we made together is also the subject of the last film we’ll make together…
The end of an era
Those of you who joined us in February to celebrate 10 years of Happen Films will recall our beginnings. A couple with no experience in film and a little bit of knowledge about permaculture, but a lot of passion for both. We’re no longer a couple but as we’ve continued working together at Happen Films our passion for storytelling as a response to our escalating global predicament has remained as strong as ever. We’re evolving beings, of course, and now our paths are diverging even further, as Jord has reached the decision to step away from Happen Films.
This is from Jord: For a while now I’ve been grappling with some challenging feelings when it comes to filmmaking, what’s sitting there for me is a somewhat confusing combination of burnout alongside a desire to explore something new. After sitting with this for the last year or so, I know that I need to trust that these feelings are taking me in the direction I need to go. Happen Films has been the only job I’ve ever had and it’s been my focus since we started back in 2015. Over ten years on, I have a strong desire to leave behind the familiarity of Happen Films, take a break to reignite my love for filmmaking, and discover what’s next.
To be honest I’m quite scared to jump into this uncertainty, to leave behind something so established and loved as Happen Films is, but if I listen to my heart I know this is what I need to do. I'm incredibly proud of what we’ve created over the last decade and doing this work has been so meaningful and rewarding. I’m so glad to know that all of the films will continue to live online and be viewed by many more people in the years to come. If you’d like to follow along with what comes next, you can find me on Instagram.
This is from Antoinette: Jord’s decision opens a door for me to consider what my own future looks like. Currently I’m sitting with the unknown to see what rises up, but what I’m sure of for now is that I’ll continue maintaining the Happen Films website and YouTube channel for as long as I’m able, so that the films Jord and I have made together remain available online and for community screenings. I’ll continue responding to emails and managing the inevitable admin that exists whether or not we’re making films. Jord is happy for me to carry on making films under the Happen Films banner and I would love to do that, as I don’t feel quite ready to move on from HF. However, I'll take a break before deciding whether that’s the right path for me.
How things will look from now on
You can still watch all our films, of course! There are 35 short films, 2 feature films, plus our 7 podcast episodes and 7 full-length interviews free to watch on our website and on YouTube, and our latest feature film, The New Peasants, can be rented via Kinema. To share our films, including The New Peasants, with your community, you can still purchase screening licences from the website Store, and you can expect a reply from Antoinette to emails about tech issues or the like.
We’re no longer accepting donations, and we’ve now paused the donations function here on Open Collective. For the time being, the costs of keeping the website live will be covered by YouTube ad revenue, so please do keep sharing our films! Using the remaining funds here on Open Collective, Antoinette will continue to be paid to manage the website, YouTube channel and respond to emails/reconcile accounts.
Gratitude
We are so grateful to everyone who has followed our journey over the last 11 years. Thank you for sharing our films, supporting the films financially (without which they wouldn’t exist), and for countless emails of enthusiasm, encouragement and love.
We’ve felt privileged to work alongside Ray Milidoni, Lou Ridsdale, Jason Hosking, Nick Tucker, Anna Veale and Charlotte Squire, who have each brought enthusiasm and skill to our small team in their various and unique ways.
And our profound gratitude to everyone who allowed us, and our camera, into their lives in order to share their stories. We have learnt so much from you and our own lives have been shaped by you.
Wish us luck as we step onto our respective new paths, and we both wish you good luck and wellbeing on your own.
Arohanui/love
Antoinette & Jordan
❤️ 1