A WEEKLY FILM NEWSLETTER PROMOTING ARTHOUSE, REPERTORY, ART, SHORT FORM AND EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA SCREENING IN THE CITY OF MELBOURNE

April 13 2023

EO

Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski

DCP Courtesy: Hi Gloss

Screening Daily

Classification: MA 15+

Words by Digby Houghton 13/04/2023

Robert Bresson recalled the life of a donkey in his 1966 film Au Hazard Balthasar, in which the humans within the film are peripheral to the plight of the donkey. Veteran Polish director and master craftsman Jerzy Skolimowski picks up on this point in his latest film EO, about the perils and tribulations of a circus stage donkey who journeys from Poland to Italy. Skolimowski’s film provides a gateway into understanding the relationship between humans and animals.

Skolimowski’s film was a nominee in the Best International Film category alongside Ireland’s first Gaelic nominated feature The Quiet Girl and German frontrunner All Quiet on The Western Front and it doesn’t disappoint. Starting out in the crimson red backdrop of a circus we watch as EO, the titular donkey, performs on stage. There is a blaringly loud bass line playing underneath which is disturbing and establishes one of the film’s recurring themes early on; the immense affect that humans have on animals against their wishes. Suddenly EO escapes the circus, to the dismay of fellow stage performer Kasandra (Sandra Drzymalska), who adores him, and seeks refuge elsewhere.

EO’s flare and wisdom stems from its frolicking pace and plot twists which find the donkey in various odd scenarios including at a game of amateur soccer. His breying turns the game into disaster and brawls ensue between the players. Such action shifts the lens from the plight of the donkey to the tragedy of humans, which is why Skolimowski’s film succeeds so well. Skolimowski is able to use Eo as a vessel to explore the domination by humans onto animals; at one stage Eo is sold to become salami, further illustrating the films obsession with this theme.

Robert Bresson’s original film Au Hazard Balthasar illustrated the conflict between humans and animals by detailing the life of a donkey as it travels across the French countryside. Bresson’s film focuses on the ethics of human-animal relationships whereas Skolimowski takes it a step further by analysing the impact of the climate crisis and its effect on the planet and the very environment in which animals live. In one disturbing and garish sequence in EO, we follow the donkey after a fateful incident into a blood-red tainted forest on a mountain, until suddenly wind turbines appear. The appearance of these vessels imply that Skolimowski thinks saving the planet from climate change is one of the first steps in healing the relationship between humans and animals.

Skolimowski juggles the tension between EO and the pervasive world of humans with a delicate sensibility, enriched by the disorienting score from Paweł Mykietyn and bedazzling cinematography from Michał Dymek. Mykietyn cautiously layers his score so that the music shifts between diegetic and non-diegetic sound. This intuitive mix allows the audience to really feel the detached world that a donkey might feel. For example, Mykietyn’s expansive and diverse score which features heavy metal anthems, classical melodies and more bass heavy tracks enriches the world of the film. On the other hand, Dymek’s impressive cinematography provides a rich insight into the Polish countryside as he frequently chooses to film from the angle of a drone the dark and wintery landscape. The drone shots further heighten the films existential proposition towards the audience that if all we have left is Earth who will take care of it when its gone?

Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey left its audiences confused by its final act when Dave the astronaut, who so valiantly fought the on-flight operator HAL, appears in a neoclassical tomb. Skolimowski borrows from this same sense of disorientation in the final act as the audience is introduced to veteran actress Isabelle Huppert, who is the countess and step mum of the man she belittles whilst smashing plates in front of him. Huppert’s royalty as a French queen of arthouse frequently appearing in films by Michael Haneke as well as films by Jean-Luc Godard provides the film with an unconventional ending.

Skolimowski is no stranger to turbulent friendships and collaborations. His exile from filmmaking began soon after the shooting of 30 Door Key in 1991, after which he devoted his time and energy to painting before returning in 2008 with the Polish film Four Nights with Anna. He has since continued to collaborate with the infamously cancelled Polish director, and fellow member of the Polish New Wave, Roman Polanski, whose 1962 film Knife in the Water Skolimowski co-wrote. More recently Skolimowski has co-written Polanksi’s latest film The Palace. The director hasn’t lost his flair for humour either, as his appearance in Marvel’s first Avengers film where he is credited as KGB colonel, suggests.

With the impending doom of the climate crisis facing the planet like an omnipresent force, EO provides an update on Bresson’s fable from 1966. Using stark and strong cinematography from Michał Dymek the audience can rationalise the mindset of Eo as he journeys through the wilderness and countryside of Poland. The evocative score which balances diegetic sound with non-diegetic sound allows the audience to slip in and out of feeling the pain of Eo. Skolimowski’s film is a tribute to the power and beauty of Earth, including the relationship between humans and animals which depends solely on its survival.

Further Viewing:

Au Hasard Balthazar (Raobert Bresson, 1996) – Available on Criterion Collection via VPN

Tickets:

Screening Daily in multiple cinemas in Melbourne

http://www.higlossentertainment.com.au/eo.html

WEEKLY FILM LISTINGS

April 13 - April 19

ACMI

Corsage

Marie Kreutzer, 2022

Screening Saturday 14 April

Ema

Pablo Larraín, 2019

15th Sunday

ARTIST FILM WORKSHOP

No screenings this week

ASTOR CINEMA

Safety Last

Fred C. Newmeyer, Sam Taylor, 1923

Screening Saturday 15 April

Minority Report

Steven Spielberg, 2002

Screening Saturday 15 April

+

Brazil

Terry Gilliam, 1985

Screening Saturday 15 April

Mary Poppins

Robert Stevenson, 1964

Screening Sunday 16 April

+

Mrs. Doubtfire

Chris Columbus, 1993

Screening Sunday 16 April

The Giants

Rachel Antony, 2022

Screening Sunday 16 April

Road to Perdition

Sam Mendes, 2002

Screening Sunday 16 April

+

Miller’s Crossing

Joel and Ethan Coen, 1990

Screening Sunday 16 April

Scream VI

Matt Bettinelli-Olpin, 2023

Screening Monday 17 April

+

Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan

Rob Hedden, 1989

Screening Monday 17 April

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda

Stephen Nomura Schible, 2017

Screening Tuesday 18 April

BBBC CINEMA (GALLERY GALLERY BRUNSWICK)

No screenings this week

CHINATOWN CINEMA

Suzume

Makoto Shinkai, 2023

Screening Daily

Hachiko

Ang Xu, 2023

Screening Daily

Song of Spring

Yang Lina, 2022

Screening Daily

Ride On

Larry Yang, 2023

Screening Daily

CINÉ-CLUB (Carlton)

No screenings this week

CINEMANIACS (ACMI)

Commando

Mark L. Lester, 1985

Screening Daily

CINEMA NOVA

Suzume

Makoto Shinkai, 2023

Screening Daily

The Innocent

Louis Garrel, 2022

Screening Daily

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda

Stephen Nomura Schible, 2018

Screening Daily

EO

Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022

Screening Daily

Air
Ben Affleck, 2023
Screening Daily

Broker

Hirokazu Koreeda, 2022

Screening Daily

Of An Age

Goran Stolevski, 2022

Screening Daily

Living

Oliver Hermanus, 2022

Screening Daily

All the Beauty and the Bloodshed

Laura Poitras, 2022

Screening Daily

Empire of Light

Sam Mendes, 2023

Screening Daily

Missing

Daniel Roher, 2022

Screening Daily

Aftersun

Charlotte Wells, 2023

Screening Daily

Women Talking

Sarah Polley, 2023

Screening Daily

Tár

Todd Field, 2022

Screening Daily

Triangle of Sadness

Ruben Östlund, 2022

Screening Daily

The Whale

Darren Aronofsky, 2023

Screening Daily

The Banshees of Inisherin

Martin McDonagh, 2023

Screening Daily

FRENCH FILM CLUB

No screenings this week

LIDO / CLASSIC / CAMEO

FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL

PROGRAM HERE

Suzume

Makoto Shinkai, 2023

Screening Daily

Air
Ben Affleck, 2023
Screening Daily

EO

Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022

Screening Daily

The Pope’s Exorcist
Julius Avery, 2023
Screening Daily

Broker

Hirokazu Koreeda, 2022

Screening Daily

Of an Age

Goran Stolevski, 2022

Screening Daily

Pearl

Ti West, 2022

Screening Daily

Empire of Light

Sam Mendes, 2023

Screening Daily

Aftersun

Charlotte Wells, 2023

Screening Daily

Women Talking

Sarah Polley, 2023

Screening Daily

Tár

Todd Field, 2022

Screening Daily

Triangle of Sadness

Ruben Östlund, 2022

Screening Daily

The Whale

Darren Aronofsky, 2023

Screening Daily

THE MELBOURNE CINÉMATHÈQUE (ACMI)

The Misfits

John Houston, 1961

Screening 7pm Wednesday 19 April

Don’t Bother to Knock

Rob Ward Baker, 1952

Screening 8:50pm Wednesday 19 April

MELBOURNE HORROR FILM SOCIETY

No screenings this week

PALACE BALWYN / BRIGHTON / COMO / KINO / PENTRIDGE / WESTGARTH

The Innocent

Louis Garrel, 2022

Screening Daily

Suzume

Makoto Shinkai, 2023

Screening Daily

EO

Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022

Screening Daily

The Pope’s Exorcist
Julius Avery, 2023
Screening Daily

Broker

Hirokazu Koreeda, 2022

Screening Daily

Of an Age

Goran Stolevski, 2022

Screening Daily

Living

Oliver Hermanus, 2022

Screening Daily

Empire of Light

Sam Mendes, 2023

Screening Daily

Aftersun

Charlotte Wells, 2023

Screening Daily

The Whale

Darren Aronofsky, 2023

Screening Daily

The Banshees of Inisherin

Martin McDonagh, 2023

Screening Daily

SUN CINEMAS YARRAVILLE

EO

Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022

Screening Daily

Pearl

Ti West, 2022

Screening Daily

Of an Age

Goran Stolevski, 2022

Screening Daily

Living

Oliver Hermanus, 2022

Screening Daily

Empire of Light

Sam Mendes, 2023

Screening Daily

Aftersun

Charlotte Wells, 2023

Screening Daily

The Whale

Darren Aronofsky, 2023

Screening Daily

The Banshees of Inisherin

Martin McDonagh, 2023

Screening Daily

THORNBURY PICTURE HOUSE


Air
Ben Affleck, 2023
Screening Daily

Limited Screenings

EO

Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022

Limited Screenings

Meet Me in the Bathroom

Will Lovalace, Dylan Southern, 2023

Limited Screenings

The General

Clyde Bruckman, Buster Keaton, 1926

Screening Sunday 16 April

Journey to the End of the Night + Q&A

Peter Tammer, 1982

Screening Tuesday 18 April

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda

Stephen Nomura Schible, 2018

Screening Wednesday 19 April