I had no idea what to expect going into ‘EO.’ It’s the new film by Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival last May and won the Jury Prize. It has been submitted by Poland for this year’s Academy Award for Best International Feature. It’s inspired by Robert Bresson’s ‘Au Hasard Balthazar’ (1966). It is a moving story with very little dialogue. You see the star is not a human but a donkey. The director wanted to speak to the viewer through emotions. The idea was not to tell the story about the donkey, but to have the audience feel like it is a donkey. There is a deep sense of humanity that the filmmaker masterfully crafts. This is a moving film that explores the life of an animal while meeting good and bad people along the way.
The story begins with EO as a circus performer. His handler, Kasandra (Sandra Drymalska) takes good care of him. She caresses him and feeds him treats. You can tell the donkey has a mutual affection toward her. She protects him from circus workers who try to rough him up. After animal rights activists protest the circus for animal cruelty. EO is shipped off to a horse farm. From here, his treatment is a bit of a rollercoaster. During a celebration, he wears a garland of carrots that is a welcome treat. He ends up in a donkey farm where children interact with the animals and sit on top of him for a ride. When Kasandra finds him, she gives him a treat but the reunion is short-lived. He breaks through a fence to chase after her.
EO journeys through a forest to see the haunting images of nature. He meets all sorts of people. Some are nice and some are cruel to him. He gets into some dangerous as well as serene moments along his journey. When he meets a person with a kind heart, we’re rooting for the donkey. It’s all from EO’s point of view. The director makes sure we see his big dark eyes. You can see the sadness in them. His eyes say it all. There are times the donkey cries out. You cannot help but feel his burdens, his sadness, his hope of finding a better life. That’s the beauty of the film. The animal just wants to return to the circus handler that loved him.
All the people EO encounters are not all bad. We never see the human side of things. The donkey is the hero of the story. The director is making a statement about the treatment of animals and how the world is controlled by the industrial food system. As EO’s journey continues, he is shipped off on more than one occasion. Since there is barely dialogue, the haunting musical score by Pawel Mykietyn and the stunning cinematography elevate the mood piece to a surreal level. It makes you feel like there is hope that EO will find a good home. It’s a visually striking odyssey. It’s heartwrenching as he experiences the cruelty of humanity.
This is a simple film. It’s a deeply moving one. I never considered the treatment of a donkey. The director has achieved his vision. It makes you think about the value of animal life. You want this donkey to find a good home, receive love and plenty of carrots. In a way, we see ourselves through EO. We hope for a good life filled with safety, love and nourishment. EO is one of those films that you will not soon forget.
