Cows and Queens
Director Laura Marques
Countries Portugal
Duration 38 min
Synopsis
The Herens is a breed of cattle essentially raised for tournaments where the winning cow gets the title of “Queen”. Working as a keeper for those cows for four months in the Swiss Alps, Laura gets the following advice from the previous shepherd: she has to be the queen. The advice is taken literally, thus unleashing an absurd quest for such title. Reflecting upon the power relation between humans and other animals, the film questions its one-way nature. If cows aren’t just bodies for humans to control, what are they after all?
The Herens is a breed of cattle essentially raised for tournaments where the winning cow gets the title of “Queen”. Working as a keeper for those cows for four months in the Swiss Alps, Laura gets the following advice from the previous shepherd: she has to be the queen. The advice is taken literally, thus unleashing an absurd quest for such title. Reflecting upon the power relation between humans and other animals, the film questions its one-way nature. If cows aren’t just bodies for humans to control, what are they after all?