In Part II of environmental messiah Joaquin Phoenix’s mission against animal cruelty, the Oscar-winning actor has just announced his role in the upcoming film, Gunda. Gunda is a dialogue-free documentary by Russian filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky which explores the sentience of animal species.
Phoenix has used his success during this year’s awards season to champion environmental conservation, diversity, and animal rights. He made a very public pledge to encourage sustainability by wearing the same suit throughout the season.
Vegan champion Joaquin Phoenix has struck again, announcing that he will produce an upcoming documentary about the sentience of animal species.
Kossakovsky’s past work has used unique cinematic tactics in order to push messages of conservation and environmentalism. His last film, 2018’s Aquarela, explored the world outside of an anthropocentric perspective: “This planet belongs to water; we’re just here accidentally.” Phoenix and Kossakovsky’s collaboration then comes as no surprise.
In the space of 72 hours, Phoenix won Best Actor for his role in Joker, gave a powerful acceptance speech about human egocentricity, and rescued a mother and calf from an L.A slaughterhouse. He also recently joined Los Angeles Animal Save to comfort pigs on their way to the slaughterhouse, coming straight from the Screen Actors Guild Awards (tux and all) to see them off.
“Gunda is a mesmerising perspective on sentience within animal species, normally – and perhaps purposely – hidden from our view,” Phoenix told interviewers about the project.
“Displays of pride and reverence, amusement and bliss at a pig’s inquisitive young; her panic, despair and utter defeat in the face of cruel trickery, are validations of just how similarly all species react and cope with events in our respective lives.”
“It is a film of profound importance and artistry,” he described.
Check out the trailer for Gunda below.
