Yesterday, yet another of the Festival’s films featured the “human animal” theme – i.e. Buzzard, the last part in the Joel Potrykus’ animal trilogy. After anthropomorphic coyote and ape, the filmmaker placed the focus on vulture Marty Jackitansky, played by Joshua Burge. The talkative and imaginative Potrykus immediately addressed the viewers, “Did you like the spaghetti scene?” The very long take in which Marty eats his spaghetti in a hotel while wearily watching TV was not in the script, they filmed it randomly; today this is the director’s favourite scene. He considers the main protagonist neither hero nor bad guy, but he does feel for him – “I think he’s a good guy,” stated the filmmaker, scriptwriter and editor in one, who plays Marty’s work buddy and confidante.

He explained that he was torn between the two characters, Marty and Derek. “I could have been Marty, but I wouldn’t be such an asshole,” he said. Thus, the character of Burge did not only wear Potrykus’ clothes, moreover, the interior of Marty’s room, featuring retro-posters and sci-fi magazines, was shot in Potrykus’ actual flat. When asked by a member of the audience whether Marty’s excess behaviour was a “mirror image” of society, the director proclaimed Marty a modern nonconformist who, as “a typical American”, does not really know what he’s fighting for. That the theme is universal has been proven by the audience response in Greece; the Marty’s problematic and ambivalent character is considered a superhero there. The Buzzard’s plot rests on several fleeting ideas, which the filmmaker came up with while working in finance for a few days, gradually enhanced by new creative ideas, e.g. the obsession with horror films, etc.. 

Andraž Jež

Photo: Iztok Dimc
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