The dramatization of an unlikely South African evangelist’s remarkable ministry arrives on DVD this month.

Available April 7, Faith Like Potatoes (0-43396-29254-3, $29.95) tells the story of farmer Angus Buchan—described by South African media as “a folksy version of Billy Graham”—who overcame major losses to see a physical and spiritual harvest, spreading a message of racial reconciliation and hope in Christ.

Rated PG, the 113-minute drama is based on the similarly titled book published by Monarch Books. Released in theaters in South Africa in 2006, the film became one of the top five grossing domestic movies of all time there and won several film festival awards.

Directed by award-winning actor Regardt van der Bergh, the movie traces how Buchan fled Zambia’s political unrest to start a new life in South Africa. Overcoming huge challenges, he established a successful farm in the country’s Midland hills.

On becoming Christians, Buchan and his wife founded a ministry to care for widows and orphans and also manage a primary school with almost 200 students. The Buchans named their farm Shalom, and he now speaks to crowds of tens of thousands at evangelistic meetings.

The book and film take their name from an incident when, despite forecasts of drought, Buchan planted potatoes—a crop requiring large amounts of water—because he believed he had been directed by God to do so. The resulting harvest became a symbol of God’s faithfulness.

To help North American viewers comprehend the sometimes-strong South African accents, the DVD includes subtitles. In addition, it features a 54-minute documentary on the real-life Buchan, God’s Farmer, which was due to be aired on the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Although the film is not being released to U.S. theaters, it is being made available to churches for licensed screenings.

Previewed on the general market edition of Fireproof, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s Faith Like Potatoes is distributed by Provident-Integrity Distribution.

To order, click here or call 800-333-9000.

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