He’ll be seen in one of our most-anticipated films of the year, Ana Lily Amirpour‘s The Bad Batch, and perhaps the most-anticipated everywhere else, Gareth Edwards‘ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, but Diego Luna found time in between to direct another feature. His third foray in the director’s chair, Mr. Pig, looks to be a sweet, strange tale about a man and his pig.
While there’s no U.S. release yet, the first trailer has now arrived for the film that premiered at Sundance. Starring Danny Glover and Maya Rudolph, the story follows a man going on a road trip with his pig, with a price he’s willing to sell it for that seems to be too high for any buyers. What ensues seems to be a heartfelt look into friendship, aging, and a man’s bond with an animal.
See the trailer below with a nod to Cine Maldito, along with a poster.
Eubanks (Danny Glover), an old-school pig farmer from Georgia on the brink of losing his family farm, sets off on a road trip with Howard, his beloved and very large pig. As they make their way across the border to Mexico to find “Howie” a new home, Eubanks’ drinking and deteriorating health begin to take a toll, derailing their plans. His estranged daughter, Eunice (Maya Rudolph), is forced to join them on their adventure. Driven by strong convictions and stubbornness in his old ways, Eubanks attempts to make peace through his devotion to Howie and desire to mend his broken relationships.
Director Diego Luna tackles the old and new in an age of global markets, factory farming, and disposable relationships. Luna’s poetic postcard road film to Mexico, guided by a soundtrack evoking the South and old rock ‘n’ roll, is lyrically photographed following the gorgeously overgrown, winding roads of Central America. Luna trusts his audience, letting the story unfold in a bold, un-expository way, allowing tour-de-force performances by Glover, Rudolph, and, of course, Howie the pig.
