On those rocky, dusty country roads where a donkey named Balthazar is passed from hand to hand by people, everything flows by in black and white. As Robert Bresson observes the sins and innocence borne on an animal’s back, he does not allow the camera to succumb to either sentimental exploitation or detached observation. Dragged between the arrogance and cruelty of his owners, this silent creature bears his own fate amidst the youth gangs and impoverished villagers around him. The story of Balthazar, crushed under the weight of life and human nature, paints a portrait of pure resistance and acceptance.

7 wins & 2 nominations