Can donkeys truly channel human emotions on screen? Yes. EO the star here is a deeply insightful animal.
EO follows the travels of the curious gray Sardinian donkey across the Polish and Italian countryside, when he’s released by animal liberationists from the circus and separated from his loving handler and fellow performer, Kas (played by Sandra Drzymalska).
EO experiences the highs and lows of humanity, all the while never losing his innocence. During his travels, he is helped but mostly hindered by the people he encounters.
This is not a very cutesy animal film to watch. I wouldn’t recommend it for young children – it has a MA15+ rating. Thankfully in those scenes when you want to look away, director Jerzy Skolimowski sensitively cuts it short, only leaving it to the imagination some of the injustice poor EO will endure.
There is minimal dialogue and thankfully so. Through closeups and beautiful visuals, you really can get into the head of EO without little effort.
EO is screening nationally now in limited release. Check your local guides for screening times.
About EO
Language: Polish with English subtitles
Rating: MA15+
Length: 87 mins
Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski
Stars Sandra Drzymalska, Tomasz Organek, Mateusz Kosciukiewicz, Isabelle Huppert
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