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Animals and More Animals

Name: Animals and More Animals
Director: Nicolas Philibert
Released: 1994
Duration: 60 min

Representation Score

6.8/10

Good

1994

Director

Nicolas Philibert

Runtime

60 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Nicolas Philibert’s documentary shifts the focus from the spectacle of natural history to the meticulous labor involved in preserving specimens. By highlighting the restoration of the Zoology Hall, the film dismantles traditional human-centric hierarchies through an observational lens. While the documentary avoids reinforcing oppressive hierarchies, it operates within a traditional European institutional context. It does not explicitly engage with identity politics, focusing instead on the technical processes of taxidermy and curation. The film successfully portrays the museum as a site of intensive labor rather than a static symbol of power, although it does not actively challenge racial or gender norms.

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Category Breakdown

Does Animals and More Animals have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film does not include any explicit representations of LGBTQ+ individuals or narratives. It focuses on the work in a museum setting and the handling of specimens, without addressing queer identity.

How does Animals and More Animals portray gender?

Fair

The documentary presents a balanced view of professional expertise within a scientific institution. It avoids emphasizing traditional gender roles or domestic hierarchies.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Animals and More Animals?

Fair

The narrative centers on a French institution, reflecting a predominantly Eurocentric perspective. There is no indication of significant racial diversity or efforts to challenge historical norms through casting.

How does Animals and More Animals represent religion and culture?

Good

The film examines the intersection of science and history from a secular viewpoint. It gently critiques the Western tendency to classify and possess the natural world.

Does Animals and More Animals include disability representation?

Fair

There is no specific portrayal of physical disabilities or neurodivergence. The focus remains on the physical actions of workers and the stillness of specimens.

Present on Screen

Presents the dignity of its subjects through a contemplative, observational approach.
Challenges traditional hierarchies by focusing on non-human perspectives and technical labor.
Avoids the 'spectacle' of natural history by emphasizing the quiet process of preservation.

Limited or Absent

Does not include explicit representations of LGBTQ+ individuals or narratives.
Focuses on a primarily Eurocentric institutional framework without significant racial diversity.
Does not actively highlight disability or neurodivergence as key narrative elements.

Official Synopsis

This fascinating French documentary chronicles the reopening of the Zoology Hall in the Paris Museum of Natural History in 1993. It had been closed for almost thirty years and it took three years of hard work to restore it and the stuffed creatures within.

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