On the screens of Minsk cinemas you can see the film “Gunda” by the famous documentary filmmaker Viktor Kosakovsky. The new mesmerizing black-and-white film captures the life of a pig and her family, while there is no people, music and human speech in it. “Gunda” was the highlight of the 2020 Berlin Film Festival, and Viktor Kosakovsky’s mastery was admired by Paul Thomas Anderson, Alfonso Cuaron and Joaquin Phoenix, who became the executive producer of the film. The film can be seen at the cinema “Tsentralnyi” until 21th April, and at the “Falcon Club Cinema Boutique” until 28th April.
We share our planet with billions of pets. Through the acquaintance with the pig Gunda and her piglets, two unusual cows and a one-legged chicken, we can reflect on the value of life and the mystery of animal consciousness, including our own. Looking into the eyes of a pig, listening to a cow mooing or watching a chicken spread its wings, Kosakovsky denies that humans are unique in their ability to experience emotions, have consciousness and will. Immersion in the world of these animals, living full life, in all its joys and sorrows, makes us think about the necessary changes and the end of the mass exploitation of the creatures with whom we share the Earth.
For Viktor Kosakovsky “Gunda” is a special film. At the age of four, he spent several months in the village, where he met his best friend Vasya. The time spent with him is among the most precious memories from the director’s childhood. But on New Year’s Eve the piglet Vasya became a festive dinner. Kosakovsky was crushed and instantly, by his own admission, became the first vegetarian child in the Soviet Union. As a director, he really wanted to make a film about the creatures with whom we share the Earth, a film about animals as living and feeling creatures – but without condescension, sentimentality and vegan propaganda.
Kosakovsky spent 30 years looking for funding for such a project, until the Norwegian producer Anita Rehoff Larsen joined him. The director found his heroine on the very first farm on the very first day of the casting. Gunda captivated him with her ability to express her emotions and feelings without words: Kosakovsky even compared her acting talent with Meryl Streep. Therefore, the film has no credits, voiceover or music: the audience just needs to watch it and allow themselves to feel.
“I want people to see these animals as intelligent beings with consciousness and personality with the help of Gunda. I believe that Gunda is the most personal and important film of all that I have created as a filmmaker and a person”, – emphasizes Kosakovsky.
The film distribution in Minsk is organized by Visual and Performing Arts Centre “ART Corporation”.
We advise you to take precautions and make your movie visit not only pleasant but also safe: please wear masks and use other protective means.
Follow the news about the next screenings on the site artcorporation.by, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, VK.