Animal Farm

Prior to the increasing prominence of television and its consequent monopoly, the Swiss newsreel “Wochenschau” was one of the main sources of information for the film-going public. Usually screened before the main feature film, the short news report allowed spectators to stay informed while providing a moment of social gathering. This year, Fantoche offers the opportunity to journey into the past by showing a newsreel directly from 1954: “Das Ja der Baslerin”, which provides a glimpse at the long process Swiss women had to endure in order to obtain the right to vote.The British animation classic “Animal Farm” will be screened immediately thereafter. Adapted from the satirical novel by George Orwell, the film was commissioned by the CIA as anti-communist propaganda. The story tells of a group of animals living on a farm under poor conditions. Tired of their owner’s cruelty, the pigs lead a revolution with the purpose of creating a new and egalitarian society. Needless to say, things soon begin to escalate… (sa)