Image Credit: Neon via AP
A litter of charismatic Norwegian piglets and their mum are the break-out stars of a new film, “Gunda,” by famed Russian director Victor Kossakovsky. The film captures the daily lives of sow Gunda and her family as they sleep, snort and play on their organic farm in Undrumsdal, Norway, about 50 miles south of Oslo. The movie co-stars a plucky one-legged chicken and pair of cows.
There are no humans in Gunda, no voice-overs and no music. Kossakovsky chose to shoot in black and white to emphasize his cast’s personalities over their cuteness. He boasts that working with them was a breeze. “With such an actress like Gunda, she is Meryl Streep,” Kossakovsky said. “You don’t need much work. I didn’t ask her to repeat anything.”
To film Gunda and her family, the crew built a large replica of her pigsty. Norwegian cinematographer Egil Håskjold Larsen attached a camera to a 360-degree track outside, with its lens poking inside the pigs’ home. The crew documented the birth of the piglets and their antics as newborns, and then returned over the next few months to record them as they grew in size and character. On their last day of shooting, the film focused on Gunda’s response as she finds herself suddenly alone, her brood having been taken away to meet their destiny at the dinner table.
A devoted vegetarian, Kossakovsky hopes his film will imbue his audience with a deeper respect for animals, encouraging viewers to give thoughtful consideration in regard to their culinary choices.
Gunda was produced by Norwegian producer Anita Rehoff Larsen, with American actor Joaquin Phoenix serving as executive producer. It was released in North America April 16, 2021. You can find out more on the film’s website, https://www.gunda.movie/