COLLECTIVE MONOLOGUE
A film by Jessica Sarah Rinland
2024, 104 minutes
2024, 104 minutes
No. 458
Documentary
Documentary
Description
"Collective monologue is a period of egocentrism in a young child’s life where they see the point of view of the listener as irrelevant. They believe that nature is created for them, and that they can control it." - Jean Piaget (1936)
Beyond its fascinating portrayal of interspecies care, Collective Monologue features remarkable 16mm footage of the resident creatures — and some amazing surveillance camera glimpses of nocturnal anteaters — as well as archival detours, which reveal a parallel inquiry into questions of labor, gender, and colonial conquest over the natural world.
Intimate and fragmented moments unfold in a community of zoos and animal rescue centers across Argentina. As histories of these institutions are uncovered, dedicated workers commit both day and night to caring for the remaining enclosed animals, fostering a mutual bond that transcends imagined boundaries between human and animal.
Beyond its fascinating portrayal of interspecies care, Collective Monologue features remarkable 16mm footage of the resident creatures — and some amazing surveillance camera glimpses of nocturnal anteaters — as well as archival detours, which reveal a parallel inquiry into questions of labor, gender, and colonial conquest over the natural world.
Festivals
Official Selection, Locarno Film Festival
Official Selection, Toronto International Film Festival
Official Selection, BFI London Film Festival
Reviews
“Collective Monologue is a patient and expansive work, organically weaving commentary on labor with rich observations about the dynamics between animals and carers.” - Variety
"It is an unclassifiable, breathtakingly beautiful work that challenges us to reconsider our place in the world.” - CineEuropa
