Directed by:
Andreas HorvathScreenplay:
Andreas HorvathCinematography:
Andreas HorvathComposer:
Andreas HorvathPlots(1)
The pandemic brought society to a standstill, but from an animal’s perspective the world didn't change that much. Unless, of course, you live in a zoo. Director Andreas Horvath takes us on a visit to the zoo in Salzburg, where the first lockdown brought with it a strange silence. The life of the zoo’s animal inhabitants goes on even without public visitors – only, instead of excited children, the shrieks come from lemurs and flamingos. And away from the madding crowd, one can moreover come across phenomena that are otherwise hidden away. These microstories from the pavilions, enclosures, and terraria reflect Horvath’s typical sense of humor characterized by surprising edits, a playful sound design, and a score that is at times whimsical, at other times unsettling. (Karlovy Vary International Film Festival)
(more)Reviews (1)
For someone like me, who at the KVIFF watches three films a day, usually featuring serious themes and depression, Zoo Lock Down was a welcome respite. Horvath follows the local inhabitants with an emphasis on creating micro-stories, some of which are hilarious thanks to the cuteness of the animals. The lemurs, for example, are accompanied by quadraphonic music and there is no need for commentary, which the film does not have. Horvath also uses a distinctive musical score to evoke an unsettling, almost horrific atmosphere and several times surprises us with the movements of the animals – for example, when a caiman suddenly dives, the whole hall jumped. The sound, which in one part also accentuates the screams of the children present and makes us feel the perspective of the frightened animals, is the only stimulating element of the documentary. The footage otherwise lacks a clear scheme that would make the presented actions clearer and offer some climaxes, whether humorous or action-packed. It must be enough that we get a glimpse into those spheres of the zoo where we do not normally look, but otherwise we learn nothing new. That the animals in the zoo are primarily prisoners, whose lives were at least a little freer and more peaceful during the human lockdown, is not a revelation worthy of a documentary. But the Austrian filmmaker and the festival organisers deserve credit for the good intentions of including a film suitable for a child audience.
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