Digging into our deep-rooted love affair with lawns.

Synopsis

Whether we love them, loathe them, or just tolerate the upkeep, lawns have the peculiar power to simultaneously unite us and divide us. For centuries, the front lawn has symbolized success, shaping the American dream one neatly trimmed blade at a time. But as water shortages grow, ecosystems shrink, and weekends fill with endless mowing, some people are rethinking their relationship with grass.

Two frog figurines wearing hats; one mowing grass with a red lawnmower, the other watering plants.

With humor as its fertilizer, One Nation Under Sod explores the evolution of the lawn, the $11 billion industry keeping it green, and the modern-day “turf war.” From homeowners planting native wildflowers to neighbors who take pride in perfect stripes, the film explores how lawns are personal symbols of success, identity, and community.

In a time of climate uncertainty and growing divides, this film doesn’t take sides—it invites curiosity. Because no matter what grows in our yards, we’re all neighbors in the end.

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Meet the

cast of

Characters

PJ — The Lawnfluencer

Yes, lawn care influencers exist, and PJ might be the most charismatic of them all. As a queer Black woman in a heavily male-dominated space, she’s built a passionate community around her love of turf. PJ credits lawn care with changing her life, and she literally touches grass every day. Check out her channel: GirlzLawn.

Melinda — The HOA Rebel

Melinda is in the thick of a showdown with her HOA, fighting for the right to grow something more meaningful than turf. Here she is, measuring her lawn to stay just inside the rules — while keeping the location of her secret pollinator garden strictly confidential.

Jessie — The Punk Lawn Ripper Upper

Jessie, founder of Undoing Ruin, is a self-proclaimed anti-capitalist with a punk-rock ethic and a shovel to match. He and his fearless crew of lawn-liberating ladies are on a mission to help homeowners across Richmond, VA replace grass with native habitat, one sod kicker at a time.

Chris & Melvin — Father & Son-in-Lawn

Chris inherited his love of grass from his “father-in-lawn,” Melvin, a man with old-school methods and zero tolerance for weeds. Together, they bond over turf talk, share lawn equipment, and plan fertilizing schedules around the kids’ nap times. It’s a multigenerational grass act.

Uday — Dr. Turfgrass

At the University of Maryland, turfgrass scientist Uday is taking lawn care into the future. His proudest creation? A robotic mower equipped with UV lights to fight lawn fungus — a glowing sidekick he affectionately calls Baby.

Nathalie — The Pollinator Whisperer

At dawn, Nathalie wakes up her backyard bees with a gentle breath. That should tell you almost everything you need to know. She and her husband David have turned their property into a thriving mosaic of native and edible plants, eliminating every trace of grass. Nathalie does it all for the pollinators…and for the neighbors she’s slowly converting from RoundUp to natives.