The Legend of The Dun Cow

A camp and luscious exploration of Irish butter and the weird side of agriculture.

Directed by Colm Higgins, who also did the music

To the Irish mind, farming is about far more than food. The history of Irish agriculture is a history of dispossession, bizarre mythology, holy war and death. All this lurks beneath the idealised agrarian imagery which sells Irish produce around the world.

Butter is used to explore how the changing face of agriculture have shaped the Irish consciousness. Through image, and music, the film is a poetic essay on existence as seen through the eyes of the sombre cow, chewing the cud till the end of time.

SYNOPSIS

Featuring Seoirse Swanton

A film about butter, but things get weird. Combining documentary footage with tableaus, sensual imagery from the studio, and an original score by the director, the film is a playful take on the place of the cow in the Irish consciousness.

Screenings

Docs Ireland 6 Official Selection

Gaze 2024 Ursa Minor Shorts (aemi)