Synopsis
Pigs have had a close connection to humans since prehistoric times. Over the centuries, stories, rules and legends have given the animal a profound meaning. It is a symbol of uncleanness, for the “beast” hidden inside of us, a source of food, a bone of contention in discussions. This animal signifies both passion and rejection. And that says a lot about mankind.
A word from Tënk
In a didactic and charming essay on one of mankind's oldest domesticated companions, Jan Vromman gradually unfolds an unrelenting indictment of the fate of pigs and their totalitarian industry.
Between the totem animal and its master, the filmmaker shows how the relationship goes beyond folkloric bestiary to embody very human fears and obsessions. Extreme rationalization, eugenics, and technological inflation then sketch out a bitter and sordid metaphorical horizon for the author and his species.
In dissonance with this economic domination, the film nonetheless continues to seek zones of micro-resistance, almost utopias, where a domestic Eden consecrates the traces of an affective coexistence between man and the curious beast. An eloquent and captivating film.
Terence Chotard
Filmmaker
