Frederick Wiseman: Body Politic

"A director famous for making films about institutions is today considered an institution unto himself. Legendary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman has directed 45 documentaries since releasing his first film in 1967, nearly a picture per year — a prolific output considering his films are neither simple nor short affairs. A master at his craft, Wiseman’s cumulative body of work has been likened to the Great American Novel in that it ambitiously deconstructs the social and political fabric of the United States while honing in on the complex and often contradictory nature of human behaviour.” – Vivian Belik, TIFF Cinematheque programmer

Hot Docs is honoured to co-present with TIFF as part of their series, Frederick Wiseman: Body Politic, this screening of the filmmaker’s 1993 film Zoo.

Acclaimed documentary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman analyzes the interrelation between animals and their human captors at Miami's Metro Zoo. Looking past the chipper veneer of zoos as venues for childhood wonderment, Wiseman probes the institutional machinations behind the exhibitions, from the dedicated veterinarians and zookeepers who care for the animals to the administrative staff who are tasked with their ethical, technological and financial upkeep.

Zoo is a film about the zoo in Miami, Florida, the care and maintenance of the animals by the keepers, the work of the veterinarians and their staff, and the visits to the zoo by people from all over the world. The film presents the wide diversity of interests and activities at the zoo and the interrelatedness of the animal, human, ethical, financial, technical, organizational and research aspects of operating the zoo.

“Zoo is a brooding, poignant, poetic consideration of nothing less than the human condition… The awe and wonder and the gratitude we all feel is up there on the screen, but it is humbling, because as Wiseman shows us, we are not adequate to be keepers, no matter how hard we may try or how fervently we may pray for help and guidance.” – David R. Slavitt, Chronicles

Introduction by TIFF Cinematheque and Hot Docs Festival programmer, Vivian Belik.

Advisory: Zoo contains scenes of animal surgery and necropsy.

Co-presented by the Toronto International Film Festival.

TICKETS (+HST)

General: $15

Members: $10, $8, FREE