Fauna

It is summer; a heron is standing in a river. On the banks, a man and his dog are sitting peacefully. Alerted by the sound of bleating, they set off to rescue a goat trapped in a pit, before rejoining the herd. As the camera slowly zooms out, we are suddenly transported into another world: a hi-tech laboratory, staffed by people wearing full protective gear. They are busier than usual, working on the development of a vaccine against Covid, with the help of extensive animal testing. An opening lift reveals goats staggering down a corridor, evoking the first, lost goat. In a few minutes and with a skilful and elegant construction, Pau Faus sets the scene, revealing an unusual form of neighbourly relations in a forest on the outskirts of Barcelona: “It’s as if we were living in prehistoric times, while they are in space.” By composing precise shots and with the help of a cheerfully humorous montage, Fauna interweaves the world of humans, animals and science in pandemic times.

Emilie Bujès