Gunda (also known as Gunda: Mother, Pig)[1] is a 2020 documentary film directed, co-written, and co-edited by Viktor Kossakovsky. The film follows the daily life of a pig, two cows, and a one-legged chicken. Joaquin Phoenix serves as an executive producer.
| Gunda | |
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.jpg) Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Viktor Kossakovsky |
| Written by |
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| Produced by | Anita Rehoff Larsen |
| Cinematography |
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| Edited by |
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Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Neon |
Release dates |
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Running time | 97 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Box office | $242,100[2][3] |
The film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 23, 2020. It was released in the United States on April 16, 2021, by Neon.
Synopsis
editShot in black-and-white and without dialogue, the film follows the daily life of Gunda — a sow and her piglets, two cows, and a one-legged chicken. A note during the credits indicates that the documentary was filmed in farms and sanctuaries in Norway, Spain, and the UK.[4][5]
Release
editThe film had its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 23, 2020.[6] Shortly after, Neon acquired U.S. distribution rights to the film.[7] It screened at the New York Film Festival on September 19, 2020[8][9] and at the Adelaide Film Festival in October 2020.[10] The film was released in the United States on April 16, 2021.[11]
Critical reception
editGunda received positive reviews from film critics. It holds a 98% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 95 reviews, with an average of 8.1/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Gunda takes an absorbingly meditative look at farm life from the animals' perspective, tacitly posing questions about our relationship to food along the way."[12] Metacritic reports a score of 89 out of 100, based on 26 reviews, indicating "universal acclaim".[13]
Writing for The New York Times Manohla Dargis describes the documentary as "sublimely beautiful and profoundly moving".[14] Similarly, Eric Kohn of IndieWire praised the documentary, describing it as "a visionary case for veganism in black and white."[15] Guy Lodge of Variety says the film's "radiantly beautiful imagery and gently immersive storytelling aren’t in service of a single browbeating message, but a broader, holistic view of where we and the animals we rear, use and consume fit into a single circle of life."[16]
References
edit- ^ a b "Gunda: Mother, Pig". BBC iPlayer. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ "Gunda". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ "Gunda". The Numbers. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
- ^ Linden, Sheri (2020-02-23). "'Gunda': Film Review | Berlin 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ "Gunda review – snuffling about in the secret life of pigs". the Guardian. 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ "Norwegian films Hope and Gunda to Berlin". Norsk Film. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
- ^ Wiseman, Andreas (February 25, 2020). "'Parasite' Distributor NEON Buys Well-Received Berlin Title 'Gunda', Doc Is Exec-Produced By Joaquin Phoenix – EFM". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
- ^ "58th New York Film Festival Main Slate Announced". New York Film Festival. August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
- ^ "Gunda". New York Film Festival. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
- ^ "Final days of Adelaide Film Festival serves up more winners". InDaily. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
- ^ "Watch Trailer For 'Gunda' Available Friday, April 16". Red Carpet Crash. January 1, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
- ^ "Gunda (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
- ^ "Gunda Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved September 26, 2024.
- ^ Dargis, Manohla (2020-12-10). "'Gunda' Review: A Remarkable Pig's-Eye View of the World". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ Kohn, Eric (2020-02-23). "'Gunda' Review: A Visionary Case for Veganism in Black and White". IndieWire. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
- ^ Lodge, Guy (2020-03-01). "'Gunda': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved 2021-06-16.