The film, which is Poland's official entry for Best International Film at the 95th Academy Awards, tells the adventures of a little donkey, called EO for the sounds he makes, after he is sent away from the circus in which he was employed.
Along the way, the donkey encounters other animals as well as various people, both kind and cruel.
The NYT's Dargis wrote: “Now 84, Skolimowski has made one of the rare movies that speak to life’s most essential questions, and he’s done so with the ecstatic vision and fearlessness of a cinematic genius who seems as if he’s just getting started."
Last week, Skolimowski’s EO was chosen by university students across Europe as the winner of this year’s European University Film Award (EUFA).
In the citation, the award jury, consisting of 25 students from the participating universities, wrote: “Through the melancholic eyes of a donkey, Jerzy Skolimowski depicts a post-human odyssey across the absurdity of human cruelty and its relationship with nature. A masterclass on cinematic language as a means of expression, the film portrays a mélange of euphoric and traumatic experiences with a striking colour palette, daunting sound design and an almost brutalist approach to editing."
Also last week, EO won two awards from the Los Angeles Film Critics’ Association: for Best Foreign Language Film and for Best Cinematography, by Michał Dymek.
Skolimowski is one of Poland’s most internationally renowned film directors. His credits include Identification Mark, Barrier, Walkover, Hands Up, Deep End, Four Nights with Anna, and Essential Killing.
(mk/gs)