As we pointed out in our Best Documentaries of 2021 list, this year we saw quite a few filmmakers really play with the non-fiction film form in unique, often impactful ways. And it would appear that 2022 is keeping that trend alive with the release of Andrea Arnold’s “Cow.”
Instead of being a macro view of factory farming when it comes to cows, Arnold’s documentary is a heartbreakingly micro view of the situation, focusing on the story of one cow and the life she leads on a farm. And as you can see in the trailer for “Cow,” this point-of-view is incredibly personal and empathetic, giving the audience an intimate look at the (short-lived) highs and devastating lows of being an animal on a farm that uses them for some sort of product.
“Cow” is a bit of a surprising project for Arnold, who has made a name for herself in fictional narrative storytelling. She’s probably best known for her work in features such as “American Honey” and “Fish Tank.” Most recently, we saw her direct the entire second season of the HBO hit series, “Big Little Lies.”
In our review of “Cow” from this year’s Cannes Film Festival, we called the film “a seemingly simple film that, in fact, brings up interesting and difficult questions regarding the limits between anthropomorphism on-screen and animal rights — or the lack thereof.” The film also made our Best of Cannes list earlier this year, showing just how much we enjoyed what Arnold has accomplished with “Cow.”
“Cow” is set to arrive in UK cinemas on January 14, 2022 before hitting MUBI (specifically for international territories) on February 11, 2022. The US release date has yet to be announced. You can watch the trailer below.
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