Produced by Thomas Balmes
This
film takes a wry look at the cultural confrontation of East and West, as reflected
in attitudes towards the cow. In India, the cow is revered and cared for well
beyond its prime. We see a hospice where cows spend their last days in comfort.
When the BBC reports on the mass slaughter of cows due to mad cow disease, the
Indians are appalled. One suggests that the British send their sick and old
cows to India for caretaking.
When MacDonalds opened up in New Delhi, featuring the Maharajah Burger, there was outrage at this affront. To many Indians it is a symbol of Western cultural imperialism – Western greed undermining traditional values in India. One elderly maharajah hopefully observes that the Indian culture has survived thousands of years and will not succumb to this latest onslaught.
"...an effective tool in illustrating the differences in cultural values
between India and the West."
Asian Educational Media Service
Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival, 2000
Grand Prix des Independents, 1998
50 min. Video or DVD. Sale $295. Video rental $75.
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