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Savages: The Story of Human Zoos

Name: Savages: The Story of Human Zoos
Director: Bruno Victor-Pujebet, Pascal Blanchard
Released: 2018
Duration: 92 min

Representation Score

8.7/10

Excellent

2018

Director

Bruno Victor-Pujebet, Pascal Blanchard

Runtime

92 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Savages: The Story of Human Zoos is a powerful post-colonial documentary that prioritizes the roles of those historically dehumanized by Western powers. Its greatest strength lies in its intensive focus on racial justice and the dismantling of Anglo-centric historical narratives. The film succeeds by centering the victims of systemic oppression, providing high-level representation for non-Western subjects. It effectively uses a framework of systemic critique to challenge the morality of colonial institutions. However, the documentary lacks explicit focus on LGBTQ+ and disability-specific narratives. This narrow thematic scope prevents the film from achieving a higher overall diversity score despite its profound racial and cultural impact.

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Category Breakdown

Does Savages: The Story of Human Zoos have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film maintains a neutral stance towards LGBTQ+ identities. While it does not promote the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender, it does not explicitly center LGBTQ+ narratives within its ethnographic critique.

How does Savages: The Story of Human Zoos portray gender?

Fair

The documentary examines the power imbalances of colonial structures and their reliance on rigid gender hierarchies. It challenges the patriarchal frameworks used to justify historical 'civilizing' missions.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Savages: The Story of Human Zoos?

Excellent

The narrative centers the lived experiences of underrepresented groups from Africa, Asia, and the Americas. It restores dignity to non-Western subjects by deconstructing the 'subhuman' labels imposed by colonial powers.

How does Savages: The Story of Human Zoos represent religion and culture?

Excellent

This work provides a profound critique of Western institutional morality and capitalism. It frames the commercialization of human beings as a corrupt practice of colonial powers.

Does Savages: The Story of Human Zoos include disability representation?

Fair

There is little evidence of specific depictions of neurodivergence or physical disability. However, the film explores how broader social and institutional forces strip away the social and political autonomy of entire populations.

Present on Screen

Provides exceptional representation of underrepresented ethnic groups from Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Effectively disrupts traditional Western-centric historical narratives through a post-colonial lens.
Offers a rigorous critique of the systemic dehumanization and commodification of non-Western populations.

Limited or Absent

Lacks explicit engagement with or centering of LGBTQ+ identities and queer narratives.
Provides limited specific depiction or analysis regarding neurodivergence and physical disability.
Does not deeply explore specific gendered character arcs within the colonial critique.

Official Synopsis

For more than a century the great colonial powers put human beings, taken by force from their native lands, on show as entertainment, just like animals in zoos; a shameful, outrageous and savage treatment of people who were considered subhuman.

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