Zoo

In the predawn hours of July 2, 2005, a dying man was dropped off at a rural emergency room in the Pacific Northwest. A surveillance camera captured the license plate of the car that deposited the man at the hospital. This led detectives to a nearby horse farm, where they found hundreds of hours of video of men from all over the world having sex with Arabian stallions. The man's cause of death was a perforated colon. The title of the film ZOO comes from the secret community of zoophiles that this film uncovers. By creating a poetic experience, Robinson Devor does not demonize these men but sentimentally weaves together recreations of the events leading up to the discovery of the videos through the ensuing public outcry and investigation. While neither exploitive nor graphic, this film demands much from the audience and allows us all to decide where to draw the line between acceptance and perversity. – W.F.G.