NFB - The Auctioneer (2012)

The Auctioneer is a discreet observational film that follows the everyday activities of Mr. Menzak as he goes about his business in peaceful town in rural Alberta. Dale is an auctioneer by trade and he specializes in the sale of family farms. Machinery, backhoes, and other rustic equipment are all Dale’s forte. Farming is a dwindling business, though, as some sales in the auction reveal. Quality goods sell for as little as five bucks a pop—less than one would spend on a latte, if they had Starbucks in the nether regions of Canada—and independent farms aren’t what they used to be in the age of industrialized agriculture.

Being an auctioneer doesn’t pay all the bills, so Dale works part time as an undertaker. He trades his rugged cowboy hat for a black tie, and turns from working with old machines to broken down bodies. It’s a much quieter job than the cattle rattle of auctioneering.

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