Extreme animals rights activist Joaquin Phoenix has teamed up with director Victor Kossakowsky and NEON to bring the arthouse film Gunda to the big screen. Taking on an executive producer role, Phoenix’s passion in support of the film is clear, stating, “Kossakovsky has crafted a visceral meditation on existence that transcends the normal barriers that separate species. It is a film of profound importance and artistry.”
Shot in black and white and with no dialogue or soundtrack, Gunda chronicles the unfiltered lives of a mother pig, a flock of chickens, and a herd of cows with masterful intimacy. This observational documentary sits in a class of its own with its quietly commanding message of animal symbiosis in the natural world.
Expression
Nothing pulls at my heartstrings more than a good animal documentary that is authentic in it storytelling and not set up to create maximum emotional impact. On the contrary, Gunda‘s lack of any narrative whatsoever is what makes the film so devastatingly beautiful. It requires some mental stamina to sit through, at times I had to wonder if the camera was left accidentally rolling for minutes on end before any sort of action or movement appears in frame. Confident in its directorial choices and unique sensibilities, it’s no surprise that Viktor Kossakowsky calls Gunda his most personal and important film he has made as a filmmaker and as a human being.
Expression: 4 out of 5 stars
Daring
Gunda is the definition of an experimental film, and I’ve never seen anything quite like it. It’s not really comparable to the beloved David Attenborough BBC documentaries because there is no dialogue whatsoever here. It stands apart from the nature docs on Disney+ because of its drastic black & white look. Gunda‘s stark beauty resembles that of a high-fashion Vogue film, but instead of watching waif-like models describe what they eat in a day or give us a tour of their home, we’re literally following a pig around a barn. It’s not the most daring or visually stimulating film I’ve ever seen, but what gives Gunda its cinematic strength is the commitment to a bold aesthetic.
Daring: 3 out of 5 stars
Craft
Gunda was apparently a 25-year project for Kossakowsky, and not once did his dedication to the project, or his vision, waiver. What he’s created is an innovative documentary that breaks the traditional rules of making movies, notably to never work with animals to save unnecessary headaches and stress. Any film that relies on a wild animal as its protagonist is indebted with risk, regardless if it’s a documentary or not. In Gunda, Kossakowsky’s entire film rests on the presence of these animals. Plus, the absence of additional music or voice overs leaves so much up to chance, and capturing that unpredictability in its raw, authentic state is the film’s biggest strength. The decision to shoot in black and white was intentional for an interesting reason, and seemingly in opposition to how many filmmakers would have approached a film like this. Kossakowsky states, “I didn’t want to show cute pink piglets –and believe me, they are very cute indeed. I didn’t want to seduce the viewer in that way. It felt to me like black and white makes us focus on their soul rather than their appearance.”
Craft: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Impact
Unlike some animal rights documentaries that are overly graphic and attention seeking, the message behind Gunda isn’t forceful or political. It’s a simple message that asks us to slow down and experience life as the animals do. Gunda asks us to meditate on the mystery of animal consciousness and think about how we contribute to their way of life. Can we do better?
Impact: 4 out of 5 stars
Conclusion
I think the best conclusion can be summarized by Paul Thomas Anderson, who so perfectly captured its essence and cinematic importance: “This is a film to take a bath in -it’s stripped to its essential elements, without any interference. It’s what we should all aspire to as filmmakers and audiences -pictures and sound put together to tell a powerful and profound story without rush.” – Paul Thomas Anderson
Conclusion: 4 out of 5 stars
93 min. ‘Gunda’ is now playing at The Landmark theater.
