Free Thinking

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Free Thinking: Donkeys

Donkeys

BBC Radio 4 - Free Thinking, Donkeys

From Aesop and the bible to the film EO which looks at a donkey born in a Polish circus.

Matthew Sweet, Lisa Mullen, Lucy Grig and Faith Burden discuss depictions of donkeys from beasts of burden to asses, classic literature to Orwell.

From Orwell and Shakespeare back to Greek myth, Aesop, and early Christianity: Matthew Sweet and guests look at a cultural history of the donkey. EO, a film out in UK cinemas this month, follows the life of a donkey born in a Polish circus.  

New Generation Thinker Lisa Mullen is an expert on George Orwell and lecturer in film at the University of Cambridge  
Lucy Grig is Senior Lecturer in Roman History at the University of Edinburgh
Faith Burden is  Executive Director of Equine Operations at the Donkey Sanctuary in Devon
Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski EO is inspired by Robert Bresson's 1966 film Au Hasard Balthazar and is showing at venues across the UK organised by the BFI. 

Producer: Luke Mulhall

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