Dir. Harmony Korine
1999, 99 min
With Ewen Bremmer, Chloë Sevigny and Werner Herzog
The first American film of Dogme 95 movement, Harmony Korine’s Julien Donkey-Boy uses expressive miniDV video cinematography and pitch-perfect performances to capture the tale of a young undiagnosed schizophrenic man, Julien. In the hands of Korine, this seemingly abrasive subject matter attains what Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called a “depth of compassion and understanding.” With unforgettable supporting cast, including iconic German director Werner Herzog as Julien’s father and Chloë Sevigny as his sister, Julien Donkey-Boy showcases how the Dogme 95 movement helped to push the possibilities of cinema to capture outside perspective on the human condition.
