Big Animal, The

Screenplay: Krzysztof Kieslowski
Cast: Jerzy Stuhr, Anna Dymna, Rubio the camel

The Big Animal (Duze Zwierze), scripted by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski and shot in shimmering black-and-white by cinematographer Pawel Edelman (Academy Award®-nominee for Roman Polanski's The Pianist) is a lovely, small film that exposes greed and pettiness while celebrating the most beautiful human themes: Love, friendship and tolerance.

When the circus leaves town, Zygmunt Sawicki and his wife Marysia unwittingly adopt a camel into their family. The couple quickly forms a close bond with the nameless camel. At first the townspeople, too, are enthralled with the giant animal, since it is a welcome distraction from their everyday routine. As the bond between the couple and their camel grows stronger, the town-people suddenly begin to ostracize them...

Renowned filmmaker Krzysztof Kieslowski (The Decalogue, Three Colors Trilogy) wrote the screenplay (based on the novel, Wielblad, by Kazimierz Orlos) in the 1970s, at the height of political oppression and social upheaval during the Communist era. This hothouse environment cultivated Poland's Cinema of Moral Anxiety and subversive criticism through the arts when it was difficult to speak openly. Mr. Kieslowki's friend Elzbieta Scotti safeguarded the script of The Big Animal and after his death, returned it to his widow.

Bonus Features

Trailer

Reviews

"A short feature with a large heart, "The Big Animal" is also a gift from the great beyond: Working from a recently-discovered, unfinished 1973 screenplay by the late Krzysztof Kieslowski, vet Polish actor-helmer Jerzy Stuhr ... has made a rueful yet gentle fable about the price of individuality and the value of dignity... and will appeal to anyone old enough to read the subtitles. " — Eddie Cockrell, Variety

"A walking, talking James Thurber fantasy cartoon... an arthouse crowdpleaser." — Gerald Peary