SO WHAT IF THE GOATS DIE?

BY: Dante Fresse

So What If the Goats Die? It is a short film from Morocco that blends sci-fi and suspense. The movie focuses on a goat herder who lives in the mountains but must brave snow to get grain for his cattle. His father reassures him the trip will be safe. But, once Abdellah gets to the town, he encounters a supernatural phenomenon. He stops by an abandoned home and sees a half-eaten meal with no one at the table. He prays to himself and continues to search the town.

He finds an old man sitting alone at a cafe. The village is empty, and this man insists that everyone left at dawn. Abdellah gets his grain and then learns from a news broadcast that aliens have arrived on earth. He returns to the cafe to discuss with the stranger what has happened. The old man calls the arrival a blessing and tells Abdellah to calm down. After scouring the village for survivors, Abdellah finds his friend, Itto, with her baby. He tries to convince her to hide in the mosque with him, but Itto insists that this phenomenon has allowed her to start a new life. She scorns the mosque for being primitive. The film is a commentary about moving on from the archaic, such as religion, and embracing space and technology’s new realities. She mounts a motorcycle while Abdellah rides his old donkey to accentuate the difference in ideology between them. One is stuck in the past while the other moves on into the future.

The invasion hits home when Abdellah returns to the farm, as he and his dad witness the aliens landing. His father denies their existence until he comes face-to-face with them. After a quick stunt, the aliens leave, and Abdellah and his father go outside to view a clear night sky. It’s another nod to old ways versus new approaches to life. It is also an example of the differences between the old and new. “So what if the goats die?” the question that the old man asks is an echo of the passing of ancient customs to more contemporary ways. It’s essential to see this connection and how characters react to change. PROVOKR takes a lot from this short’s symbolism and believes you may, too.