EO

The joint winner of the Cannes Jury Prize, EO is a strangely wonderful tale where the dark and light of humanity is laid bare.

The world is a mysterious place when seen from the perspective of an animal. EO, a donkey with melancholic eyes and a fondness for carrots, meets a plethora of good and bad people on his journey through life. He experiences joy and pain, endures the wheel of fortune randomly turning his luck into disaster and his despair into unexpected bliss. But not even for a moment does he lose his innocence.

The latest collaboration between Polish director Skolimowski (The Shout) and his veteran producer Jeremy Thomas, EO is a distinctive and ultimately poignant work, a vividly realised homage to Bresson’s Au Hasard Balthazar and an original work in its own right. Brilliantly shot by Michal Dymek and featuring immersive sound design, the drama ponders with distinction and eloquence the follies of humanity while never resorting to sermonising. Interspersed with moments of bracing surrealism, Academy Award-nominated EO reminds us not only of the need for humility, but also of Skolimowski’s immense contribution to world cinema.