Call me mule
14 settembre 2024
h. 18:30
Concorso Internazionale
Synopsis:
“Call me Mule,” a feature film by director John McDonald, follows the pilgrimage of John Sears, known as Mule, who has been traveling the U.S. West with his three mules for more than 30 years. John is a 65-year-old man who embraces life en plein air, advocating for the right to free movement and a simpler life in harmony with nature. During an epic 500-mile journey to deliver a message to the Governor of California, Mule clashes with local authorities and institutions, seeking an alternative to modernity. Through the narrative of this intriguing character, the film raises fundamental questions about freedom of movement and access to public land, questioning the values and conventions of contemporary society.
Director’s notes:
Our film illuminates the right to individual freedom by portraying the lifestyle of one man who is connected to the earth, his feet on the ground all day, every day. It also depicts society’s treatment of people who are less conformist, less fortunate, less firmly grounded– those flawed but fascinating characters existing on the fringe of normality and mental stability. Perhaps the most important lesson we can learn here is one of empathy, understanding those who choose to live differently, and expressing compassion and kindness toward them.