Gunda (2020 film)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Gunda
Theatrical release poster
Directed byViktor Kossakovsky
Written by
  • Viktor Kossakovsky
  • Ainara Vera
Produced byAnita Rehoff Larsen
Cinematography
  • Egil Håskjold Larsen
  • Viktor Kossakovsky
Edited by
  • Viktor Kossakovsky
  • Ainara Vera
Production
companies
Distributed by
Neon
Release dates
  • February 23, 2020 (2020-02-23) (Berlinale)
  • April 16, 2021 (2021-04-16) (United States)
Running time
97 minutes[1]
Countries
  • United States
  • Norway
Box office$242,100[2][3]

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.

The film had its world premiere at the

Neon
.

Synopsis

Shot in black-and-white and without dialogue, the film follows the daily life of Gunda — a

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

The film had its world premiere at the

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

Gunda received positive reviews from film critics. It holds a 98% approval rating on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 50 positive and one negative review, 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 13 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

  1. ^ a b "Gunda: Mother, Pig". BBC iPlayer. 15 September 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  2. ^ "Gunda". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  3. ^ "Gunda". The Numbers. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  4. ^ Linden, Sheri (2020-02-23). "'Gunda': Film Review | Berlin 2020". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  5. ^ "Gunda review – snuffling about in the secret life of pigs". the Guardian. 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  6. ^ "Norwegian films Hope and Gunda to Berlin". Norsk Film. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  7. ^ 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.
  8. ^ "58th New York Film Festival Main Slate Announced". New York Film Festival. August 13, 2020. Retrieved August 13, 2020.
  9. ^ "Gunda". New York Film Festival. Retrieved August 29, 2020.
  10. ^ "Final days of Adelaide Film Festival serves up more winners". InDaily. 20 October 2020. Retrieved 25 October 2020.
  11. ^ "Watch Trailer For 'Gunda' Available Friday, April 16". Red Carpet Crash. January 1, 2021. Retrieved April 18, 2021.
  12. ^ "Gunda (2020)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  13. ^ "Gunda Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
  14. ISSN 0362-4331
    . Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  15. ^ Kohn, Eric (2020-02-23). "'Gunda' Review: A Visionary Case for Veganism in Black and White". IndieWire. Retrieved 2021-06-16.
  16. ^ Lodge, Guy (2020-03-01). "'Gunda': Film Review". Variety. Retrieved 2021-06-16.

External links