A grieving man tries to grow an oak tree from the ashes of his dead father.


SOIL is used with permission from Sam Lembeck. Learn more at https://samlembeck.com.


Jay recently lost his father. Despondent and stuck in his grief, he comes up with the idea of trying to grow a tree from his dad's ashes, inspired by a new kind of burial where a dead loved one is put in a biodegradable pod in the earth and buried in the ground with a tree.

He goes to a local gardening center seeking materials, resources and help in his project, though he tries to hide exactly what he's doing at first. But when a kind worker learns what's behind Jay's seemingly quixotic quest, Jay begins to see a new horizon beyond his grief and sorrow.

Directed and written by Sam Lembeck, this wonderfully empathetic short dramedy has an undeniably sad premise, taking Jay's grief as the starting point. Though the subject matter is heavy, the film's gently humorous tone and measured storytelling offer moments of levity, as Jay's sorrow gets slowly and honestly transformed into something honest, true and beautifully life-affirming.

Through empathetic writing and a softly sunny visual look and feel, Jay's journey about grief becomes intertwined with a tale of gardening and nurturing new life, each narrative strand adding to the resonance of the other. Any aspiring "plant parent" will understand Jay's bewilderment with the ins and outs of growing plants, and he constantly (and sometimes grumpily) enlists the help of cheerful and sympathetic garden center worker Shahida for advice, knowledge and tips.

At first, Jay has a hard time getting his tree to grow, but as his friendship with Shahida grows, along with his plants, he starts to enjoy the pleasure and satisfaction that comes with gardening, as well as the closer connections he has with Shahida and his neighbors. Like the rest of the film, actor Jason Tam's performance finds a fine balance between the comical and the sorrowful, finding gentle laughs in Jay's foibles with growing his tree while maintaining an open, vulnerable line to his very real grief.

In many ways, such a balancing act is the true heart of SOIL, which resonates with such warm-heartedness and compassion as a film. Grief, death and endings are unavoidable aspects of the human experience, and our suffering from these can feel heavy and even hopeless at times. But it is balanced by the part of life that creates, nurtures and grows, especially with intention. It's a delicate balance to find and sometimes feels impossible. But when we do find it, it brings enough peace and acceptance to move forward with a grateful heart.