the Cow, 2022_Short Fil – FESCH.TV

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Synopsis

The film opens as a little boy, Jireh, gets bitten by a dog with the rabies.
Dong Jin, Jireh’s father and the owner of a mask manufacturing factory, quickly brings his son to the emergency room. While he is at the hospital, the factory workers fight over the future of their struggling company. Fortunately, the factory receives a huge order from a Chinese company and Dong Jin immediately begins the production process after begging to Mr. Kang for supplies ahead of a full payment.

After the production is completed, Dong Jin stumbles upon a documentary about cows’ unique chewing technique called “cud”. The following morning, he hears a barking sound from Jireh’s hospital unit and realizes that it was his son who was barking like a dog. The rabies virus has already been transmitted to Jireh’s brain and he does not have much time left. Devastated Dong Jin suddenly throws up on the street.

The next day, Jireh is miraculously cured. However, Dong Jin also receives a tragic update about the order from China being a void and starts driving back to the factory. Mr. Kang, whose company has been severely affected by Dong Jin’s void order, is furious about the situation. He swears at Dong Jin and angrily drives away from the factory. By an unfortunate event, his car runs over Jireh. Dong Jin, who was about to burn off the factory, finds his son’s dead body and begins to wail.

Time has passed and Dong Jin is now chewing on a plant and crawling over the field of reeds like an ox.

Director’s Note

“You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals;
you will eat grass like the ox […] until you acknowledge that
the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes.

Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled.
He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox.
And his body was drenched with the dew of heaven […]”

The quoted passages refer to the book of Daniel 4:32-33 in the Bible and there exists a psychological disorder called “Boanthropy Syndrome” for those who believe that they are cows or oxen. My film reinterprets the historical narrative of Nebuchadnezzar to tell the story of a man who is forced to accept his tragic calling. God often represents agape love, showing unconditional love and mercy, but for some people, God may be a sovereign figure who drives their lives into tragedy. One’s life is overruled by destiny while his or her faults and wrong choices play only minor roles. This film is for those who could not change their tragic destiny. It cries with those wailing in the midst of their painful realities.

Director’s Bio

Born in 1996, Roh studied film at Korea National University of Arts.
His first short film UNZO (2020), which portrayed the story of a 4th generation Korean-Chinese man, was officially selected for the 53rd SITGES Film Festival in Spain, the 19th Florence Korean Film Festival and the 18th ASIANA International Film Festival, Republic of Korea. His dance film The Infinite, 2021 was invited to the Fashion Film Festival, Milano, Italy and Buenos Aires International Film Festival. It received a critical acclaim of being “a visual art with dynamic energy”.