New York Film Festival 2022: EO

EO, co-written and directed by Jerzy Skolimowski, is the second film at the 2022 New York Film Festival that tackles the effects of mankind on animals. While the first, All That Breathes, is a documentary looking deep into the effort to save the Black Kites of Delhi, EO is a fictionalized drama that follows the misadventures of EO the donkey. Having been repossessed following the banning of circus animals in Poland due to mistreatment, EO follows the film’s encapsulation of innocence as our donkey protagonist experiences joy, heartache, terror, and the ills of man throughout Europe. At times a deeply moving portrait of our treatment of animals, while other times a sense of existential surrealism, EO proves itself to be full of heart and heavy on the critique.

Where is the humanity?

There is an expectation I had going into EO, the story of a donkey as he travels Europe after having escaped into the wild is both an intriguing and unique concept for a film. What I hadn’t expected was how deeply moving the film would be. EO radiates personality and life, even in the donkey’s darker moments. There is a deep sense of humanity the filmmakers are able to craft, from longing glances to reactionary behavior. And with the contrast of EO’s caretakers, it is only further deepened.

EO weighs heavily on the film’s editing to craft the humanity and personified nature within the donkey. While EO the donkey is the central figure in front of the screen, film editor Agnieszka Glinska is one of its standouts from behind. The editing is reflective and well-paced, giving audiences time to process each interaction – and each aftermath. From surrealistic sequences to captured glances from the donkey, the finished product and complication of shots and scenes is beyond exquisite, proving the continuing power of editing.

EO further finds success in its story from writers Ewa Piaskowska and Jerzy Skolimowski. There is a richness in their story, infused with both horror and humor. Yet, it is not just the story of a donkey’s travels but the breadth of the world around him. As EO’s scenery changes, so do the types of human treatment he receives. From page to screen, there is a multilayered story within a story that both affects and revolves around EO, his interactions and experiences moving the story along but keeping it multilayered within his journey.

Devastating hope

EO is a hard film to watch at times, especially as the film progresses. At times, EO feels like a foster child being bounced from home to home. In the face of “rescue” from mistreatment by the circus, the world on the outside doesn’t prove itself any better. EO balances this critique of his treatment through direct human behavior and through an animal perspective. While we watch how others treat EO, we also see how EO experiences the treatment – to devastating effect.

Yet, there is an essence of hope laced within the fibers of EO. Not everyone he meets fuels the growing critique of our accepted treatment of animals. EO is intentional in its inclusion of those who value animal life, treating it as they would any other individual. Making sure to coax EO to eat, carrot cupcakes for his birthday, and genuine intent to give him a good home are examples that lift much of the weight from the film’s heavier topics while instilling a sense of hope that not all is lost.

Conclusion:

EO is a heavy film, constantly gut-punching its audience, making sure that by film’s end, an impression has been made. It is deep and rich in story, uniting the celluloid pieces of critique, and even hope, in an experience you will not soon forget.

Have you seen EO? What did you think? Let us know in the comments below!

Watch EO