What a story. The film is stylistically brilliant, thorough, and masterfully told. The project is elegantly designed, where the filmmakers lead us into a life, joining a person’s struggle for his passion — as seen from the inside. The filmmakers have had the patience to let the main character’s loneliness and social exclusion become a story, which we follow from start to finish. The dramaturgy is very well designed, and we as an audience never get bored. We are impressed by both cinematography, editing, sound design and storytelling. The winner is PET FARM. 

Jury statement, Bergen International Film Festival, 2024

PET FARM

Joakim chases his childhood dream of breeding pet foxes, but external forces threaten to euthanize his beloved fox pack. "Pet Farm" is a story of loneliness, emphasizing the irreplaceable value of human connections over bonds with animals.

SYNOPSIS

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Loneliness lies at the heart of Pet Farm. In Joakim's struggle for meaningful connections with humans, he turns to the animals. This cinematic narrative weaves a compelling portrait of exclusion, exploring the heart-wrenching struggle of an individual as he battles inner demons and powerful exterior forces.

WALTHER BROS

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The brothers Finn Walther and Martin A. Walther from Norway started the film production company Walther Bros in 2019. They have since produced several award-winning short films that adresses themes of underdogs, exclusion and radicalization. Pet Farm started as a short documentary project, but it later expanded into their first feature film endeavor.

DIRECTORS STATEMENT

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When we initially crossed paths with our main character, Joakim, in 2017, it was evident that both the farm and his story transcended the ordinary. Joakim's upbringing, defined by few friendships and complex family dynamics, led him to spend part of his formative years on his grandfather's fox farm. To him, this period represented the pinnacle of his life, igniting a profound connection with the foxes. It became apparent to us that these animals were akin to family for Joakim. Still, we could sense that his deepest longing in life remained to find a true friend. 

In Joakim's quest for meaningful connections with humans, he finds solace in turning to his foxes. Paradoxically, his reliance on animals takes Joakim deeper into isolation. For us, Pet Farm prompts the question: what responsibility does society bear in preventing outsiders like Joakim from experiencing complete exclusion?

As filmmakers, we are drawn to the universal themes Pet Farm explores: loneliness and underdogs.. We recognize that Joakim has grappled with finding his place in society throughout his life. What he truly lacks is the opportunity to be genuinely heard and seen. We believe it is important to amplify the voices of outsiders like Joakim.

CONTACT

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