2015 is the UN Year of the Soils. Anyone who would like to understand why living soil is so vitally important would do well to watch “Symphony of the Soil,” directed by Deborah Koons Garcia. This beautiful, poetic film blends science, agroecology, activism, and hope into an inspiring mix that explains how good soil is formed and why it matters so much. Living soil is a complex mix formed over time of minerals, organic matter, and billions of “critters” whose actions turn plain dirt into the fertile matrix that ultimately supports all life on earth. It has long been thought that agriculture inevitably depletes the soil, and (of course) industrial agriculture worst of all. “Symphony” highlights the work of scientists and farmers around the world who are contributing to our understanding of how this does not have to be the case and pioneering soil-regenerating ways to grow food. More information can be found at http://www.symphonyofthesoil.com/.