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Oink: Man Loves Pig
Oink explores man's relationship to pigs, diving headfirst into a beguiling mix of sentimentality and violence - from keeping pigs in your bed to factory farming.
Oink explores man's relationship to pigs, diving headfirst into a beguiling mix of sentimentality and violence - from keeping pigs in your bed to factory farming.
The documentary veers wildly from the birth of Dorothy, our saddleback narrator, to zeno-transplantation of organs, from Ralph Steadman cartoons for Animal Farm to wild hogs being machine-gunned from a helicopter.
Oink is a mad, bad journey from China to Wiltshire via Brooklyn, which reflects on who we are and how we deal with the world around us.
Last on
Sun 2 Jul 2017
22:00
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Director Angus Macqueen answers the Storyville Q&A
What is more important, story or character?
In the case of OINK, at the heart was 鈥渢he idea鈥� more than either story or character: exploring the complex relationship between man and pig:听 so critical was finding the right mix of place, story and characters to make the viewer respond both emotionally and intellectually.
What made you first want to explore the subject?
A set of conversations with the legendary Nick Fraser, an old friend who was the executive producer.听 We have a very similar sense of humour 鈥� and agreed that Pigs are at the heart of so much that faces us as a planet and a species.
How long did it take to get the film off the ground?
Peculiarly not long, because Yaddo, the new online documentary platform, decided to fund it fully. What a relief!
What were you most surprised to learn in the course of production? 听
Oh so much鈥hat pigs could live 20 years but that we kill them at puberty, that pork consumption is one of the best measures of development for China over the past half century, the unbelievable research going into genetically modified pigs and transplant potential (Frankenstein versus Lives saved) and that Margaret Atwood鈥檚 brand of speculative fiction is magnificently terrifying. And finally Pigs seem to have no sense of death: they do not react when the pig next to them is squealing and being killed. A weird truth.
What have been the differences in reception to the film in countries it has now travelled to?
That every country and culture has its own PIG stories and myths 鈥� from complete adoration to complete rejection 鈥� and most have their own pig jokes.
Which documentary has most inspired you?
Claude Lanzmann鈥檚 Shoah
Favourite Website/blog?
The Guardian
Best piece of filmmaking advice you鈥檝e ever been given?
听If you can鈥檛 describe your film in one (max two) sentences it probably doesn鈥檛 work, AND work out why you are filming a scene BEFOREHAND.
Best piece of filmmaking equipment you can鈥檛 live without?
My cameraperson.
If money was no object, what is your dream documentary subject?
At this moment, I want to make a film about the events and meaning of PALMYRA, past and present鈥�..so if anyone has the money?
And...
A film about The Mexican Wall. 鈥� again if anyone has the money
Favourite film of all time?
Love Story (70鈥檚), When Harry Met Sally (80鈥橲), Notting Hill (90鈥橲) and Love Actually (00鈥橲)
Most difficult access?
Undoubtedly getting access to the El Chapo Guzman, then supposedly the most wanted man in the world.
Best recent read?
Vargas Lhosa : The Myth of the Celt
In the case of OINK, at the heart was 鈥渢he idea鈥� more than either story or character: exploring the complex relationship between man and pig:听 so critical was finding the right mix of place, story and characters to make the viewer respond both emotionally and intellectually.
What made you first want to explore the subject?
A set of conversations with the legendary Nick Fraser, an old friend who was the executive producer.听 We have a very similar sense of humour 鈥� and agreed that Pigs are at the heart of so much that faces us as a planet and a species.
How long did it take to get the film off the ground?
Peculiarly not long, because Yaddo, the new online documentary platform, decided to fund it fully. What a relief!
What were you most surprised to learn in the course of production? 听
Oh so much鈥hat pigs could live 20 years but that we kill them at puberty, that pork consumption is one of the best measures of development for China over the past half century, the unbelievable research going into genetically modified pigs and transplant potential (Frankenstein versus Lives saved) and that Margaret Atwood鈥檚 brand of speculative fiction is magnificently terrifying. And finally Pigs seem to have no sense of death: they do not react when the pig next to them is squealing and being killed. A weird truth.
What have been the differences in reception to the film in countries it has now travelled to?
That every country and culture has its own PIG stories and myths 鈥� from complete adoration to complete rejection 鈥� and most have their own pig jokes.
Which documentary has most inspired you?
Claude Lanzmann鈥檚 Shoah
Favourite Website/blog?
The Guardian
Best piece of filmmaking advice you鈥檝e ever been given?
听If you can鈥檛 describe your film in one (max two) sentences it probably doesn鈥檛 work, AND work out why you are filming a scene BEFOREHAND.
Best piece of filmmaking equipment you can鈥檛 live without?
My cameraperson.
If money was no object, what is your dream documentary subject?
At this moment, I want to make a film about the events and meaning of PALMYRA, past and present鈥�..so if anyone has the money?
And...
A film about The Mexican Wall. 鈥� again if anyone has the money
Favourite film of all time?
Love Story (70鈥檚), When Harry Met Sally (80鈥橲), Notting Hill (90鈥橲) and Love Actually (00鈥橲)
Most difficult access?
Undoubtedly getting access to the El Chapo Guzman, then supposedly the most wanted man in the world.
Best recent read?
Vargas Lhosa : The Myth of the Celt
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Director | Angus MacQueen |
| Director | Rachel Lob-Levyt |
Broadcast
- Sun 2 Jul 2017 22:00