All about a pig's life
Hong Kong's favourite pig - McDull - hit the city's screens earlier this month. And close on the heels of McDull Kung Fu Ding Ding Dong, a real pig is coming to town this week.
Directed by Japanese filmmaker Tetse Maeda, School Days with a Pig is a thought-provoking film that explores day-to-day issues like the quality of life, consumerism and personal responsibility through the eyes of children.
Based on a true story, the movie revolves around a primary school teacher, Mr Hoshi (played by Japan's leading young actor Satashi Tsumabuki), who brings a pig to school.
Mr Hoshi informs his Grade Six students that they will be raising the piglet over the course of the year and then eating it.
The students accept their 'class project' but are not very enthusiastic at the beginning.
Like most children, they are scared to even come near the pig, let alone touch it.
But, as the days go by, things change and the students give their 'class pet' a name - P-Chan - and build her a sty in the school playground.
They take turns to groom the animal and feed it. A year later, the cute piglet has grown into a 200-kilogram hulk but size does not matter. The students still love P-Chan and they are faced with a life-and-death issue.
The question is: should the children follow their teacher's suggestion and turn P-Chan into porkchops, or should they fight for their class pet who has been their best friend for the past year?
What distinguishes School Days with a Pig is the off-beat approach adopted by director Maeda.
Instead of sticking rigidly to the script, Maeda gives his cast space to work with the material. This gives the film an improvised feel, and is one of its greatest strengths.
Also, Maeda's documentary-style shooting with handheld cameras creates a surprisingly realistic atmosphere in classroom scenes.
During the debate about P-Chan's fate, you'd definitely think that the children weren't acting anymore.
The issue is suddenly brought up by the teacher, and it sparks a heated argument among the children straight away.
The scene was not rehearsed at all, so the students spoke from their hearts.
School Days with a Pig was a crowd favourite at the Tokyo Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award.
With a charismatic star, adorable kids, emotional scenes and a debate about life and death, the film will appeal to viewers of all ages.
School Days with a Pig opens in Hong Kong cinemas on Thursday
