New Showbiz

You are here:
In the Year of the Pig

In the Year of the Pig

1969

Not Rated

Director

Emile de Antonio

Runtime

101 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Both sober and sobering, producer-director Emile de Antonio’s In the Year of the Pig is a powerful and, no doubt for many, controversial documentary about the Vietnam War.

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

6.6/10

Good

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Minimal

The film focuses strictly on geopolitical shifts and the mechanics of warfare. There is no discernible presence of LGBTQ+ characters or narratives addressing non-cisnormative identities.

Gender Representation

Fair

The narrative prioritizes political and military agency, resulting in a male-dominated interview pool. While it avoids reinforcing submissive femininity, it does not center women as primary drivers of the movement.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Excellent

The documentary functions as a profound exercise in decolonization. It centers the Vietnamese perspective and provides agency to non-Western subjects to disrupt the traditional Western gaze.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Excellent

The film offers a seminal critique of Western institutional hegemony. It employs a post-colonial framework to portray Western military intervention as a disruptive and oppressive force.

Disability Representation

Minimal

There is no significant focus on visible or invisible disabilities within the documentary's primary historical and political scope.

Strengths

  • Disrupts the Western gaze by centering Vietnamese voices and perspectives.
  • Provides significant agency to non-Western subjects and political figures.
  • Offers a powerful, anti-imperialist critique of Western institutional hegemony.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks any discernible representation of LGBTQ+ identities or narratives.
  • Features a male-dominated interview pool that limits gender diversity.
  • Does not address disability within its historical and political scope.

AI Analysis

Emile de Antonio’s documentary is a landmark of post-colonial cinema that succeeds by dismantling the perceived moral superiority of Western institutions. Its greatest strength lies in its ability to reposition the subject of the film from the Western observer to the resisting population, providing genuine agency to Vietnamese citizens and political figures. However, the film's scope is narrow, focusing almost exclusively on macro-level geopolitical movements. This results in a lack of representation for LGBTQ+ identities and disability, which limits the breadth of its social commentary. While the film excels at challenging Anglo-American hegemony, it remains a product of its era regarding gender. The interview pool is heavily male-dominated, reflecting the structural political constraints of the 1960s rather than actively centering women in the struggle for sovereignty.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.