The Fair

Ines Sommer

2025/ 79 minutes
United States
English

Set in a conservative, predominantly white community in Central Illinois – not far from where Abraham Lincoln lived as a young man – The Fair examines American rural life and its enduring pastimes through the spectacle of an annual county fair. As viewers move through rituals of livestock judging, craft competitions, pig chases, and an extended behind-the-scenes look at the fair's beauty pageant, the image of a tight-knit community takes shape. Infused with subtle humor, the film's patient observational approach uncovers a portrait of mainstream America, where traditional gender roles long predate the TikTok "tradwife" trend and where a complex relationship with animals runs as a powerful undercurrent.