Super-pig not too far-fetched
Film director Bong Joon-ho gives us his insights on GM foods, his chaotic mindscape and the Netflix controversy
residing in the grey area.
“I do feel, however, that’s more realistic and more reflective of how society is, and how life is. If everything is clear-cut and residing in one direction, it might feel a bit forced.”
No one in Okja captures Bong’s subtle touch better than the chief executive of the Mirando Corporation, Lucy Mirando (Tilda Swinton). Under another film-makers guidance, she could easily have fulfilled the role of pantomime villain: the sweet, smiling face of corporate conscience, hiding ulterior motives and a cold heart. But under Bong’s guidance, there’s more to Lucy than meets the eye.
The director refers back to one scene in particular from the film, in which Lucy hides out in her trailer ahead of the muchanticipated commencement of the super-pig festival, at which Okja is due to be unveiled. Staring at a piece of super-pig jerky, she forlornly admits that this entire charade has been to cover the simple fact that, in reality, consumers are far too paranoid to ever accept the truth of GM food.
“And when she was delivering that line, I felt that was, in that moment, the truth,” he says. “At least, in Lucy’s view, she was speaking the truth. So on the day we were filming that scene, I discussed it with Tilda and I asked her to deliver it in a way that she feels she’s speaking the truth. The thing is, she also eats the jerky, it’s not like she doesn’t eat it or refrains from eating it. She is being truthful, at least in her intent.”
In a way, it’s strange that a film of such great heart, of pure intention, could be a source of controversy – but such is the will of the film festival circuit, which Bong admits “always needs issues like this”. Okja arrived to this year’s Cannes Film Festival under the Netflix banner, who also produced a fellow contender in Noah Baumbach’s The Meyerowitz Stories. The Netflix logo was booed by rowdier attendees, a heated discussion flared up, and it was eventually announced that, in future, all films which premiere at Cannes must receive theatrical distribution.
“I’m sceptical as to whether that’s the right thing to do,” Bong muses.
“I believe there are a lot of facets to this issue,” he says. “And we also have to take into account the films that always wanted a theatrical release but never got to have them. Noah Baumbach and I made movies with Netflix, and Todd Haynes is working with Amazon; all these kinds of things are more of a chance for film-makers and creators. All those regulations and the rule of distribution: they have to fix it, revise it, develop it. It’s their job, not our job. We just create.”
“In the end,” he adds. “I do feel like a film is a film; whether it’s theatrical distribution or streaming distribution, they should coexist.”
Indeed, doesn’t Okja’s central friendship, between girl and pig, teach us exactly that: to coexist together? Okja is streaming on Netflix.