11/02/2022 - BERLINALE 2022: Mascha Halberstad’s lovely stop-motion animation, which has just opened Generation Kplus, is not another Sausage Party

There is something irresistible about stop-motion animation. It might be our knowledge of the hours and hours that go into making it or the strangely unsettling sight of the occasional fingerprint appearing on a claymation puppet. Either way, if applied correctly, this technique just makes the world seem a little bit better, at least for a while.

Wisely chosen as this year’s Generation Kplus opener at the Berlinale, Oink [+see also:
trailer
interview: Mascha Halberstad
film profile] is no exception. The story, about a girl who suddenly comes into the possession of a piglet – Babs is already a vegetarian, so there is no conflict of interest there – thanks to a grandfather who abandoned her mum decades ago and is trying to make up for it, kind of, seems simple enough. But the best thing about Mascha Halberstad’s feature debut is that so many things are just plain wrong. There is poo everywhere, loads of it, and people play a game called “sluggleboard” that sees actual snails go all Fast & Furious. It’s advertised as “good for humans and slugs”, and while one can’t be 100% sure about the accuracy of that statement, at least they are all wearing really small helmets.

Starting in the past, when – after a few misplaced rats’ tails – two butchers came to blows during a “Sausage King” contest and ended up being disqualified for 25 years, Oink is a film where it’s the adults who don’t seem to learn, ever, intent on repeating the same old mistakes. They all seem a bit off, each harbouring some unresolved childhood trauma or weakness. And then there is a sudden swerve into pretty dark territory as Babs is betrayed, and by someone she has already learnt to trust. It’s a pretty bold move, as children’s stories prefer to keep their villains at arm’s length. Not all of them, though – there is a reason why Halberstad keeps mentioning Roald Dahl in her interviews. After all, evil doesn’t always make a huge entrance like Cruella de Vil. Sometimes it’s sneakier, and it just takes its time.

The animation here is wonderful, with all of the creatures enjoying the wind ruffling their fur like it’s a Beyoncé video. There is an ET bike reference, too, or maybe a nod to “pigs in blankets” – either way, it’s adorable. But while the colours are bright and merry, Halberstad is not afraid to bring some scares into this seemingly safe universe. And a meat grinder, which is never good news. That this is premiering in Germany, the land of bratwurst, currywurst and thousands of other wursts, is frankly hilarious.

While the likes of Babe (or Bong Joon-ho’s Okja) obviously come to mind, this time around, nobody is asking the pig to, say, learn how to herd sheep. Oink remains mute throughout, and it’s just supposed to behave, stay away from the vegetable patch and not defecate everywhere, all the time. That sounds easy enough, but Babs’s family wants proof – preferably a diploma from a pet-training school. They might be sticklers for detail, but when Babs’s happiness is jeopardised, they grab the nearest tractor and slowly rise to the occasion, leading to an explosive finale that echoes Stand by Me’s disastrous pie-eating contest. Perhaps it’s just better to stay away from these kinds of public events, pandemic or not, as unwanted surprises from various orifices are always bound to hit you right in the face.

Oink was produced by Dutch outfit Viking Film, and co-produced by A Private View (Belgium) and VPRO (Netherlands). Its international sales are handled by LevelK.