Bestiaire

The animals of the Parc Safari in Quebec and their relationships with humans—the zookeepers, park visitors, taxidermists who stuff them after they die, and artists who sketch the taxidermists' work—are the subjects of Denis Côté's nearly wordless documentary. Titled after a type of medieval book that mingles illustrations of beasts with religious texts, the film juxtaposes extended shots of the animals—some grazing quietly in pens while staring into the camera, others frantically rushing about cages or pawing at their gates—with footage of the men, women, and children who interact with the animals, both park workers and carloads of spectator customers. The obvious purpose here is to contemplate both the loneliness and pain of the animals' existence in captivity, and the mindset of those who would put them on display for profit or enjoy seeing them in such a synthetic environment. Bestiaire is artfully photographed—the opening sequence, in which men and women draw sketches that only gradually reveal the subject (a stuffed deer), makes for an elegant introduction—and cannily edited. And while it's filmed with an ostensibly objective approach, Bestiare clearly suggests that human beings mistreat animals by confining them for the viewing pleasure of weekend vacationers. Recommended. (F. Swietek)