Masked Monkey – The Evolution of Darwin’s Theory

Masked Monkey opens as a classic, romantic nature film – but this quickly changes when a monkey playing in the wild is captured and the scene shifts to hectic Jakarta. Street artists use monkeys in the most incredible shows.
It turns out that these street artists are not much freer than their monkeys; both are being exploited. The shows with monkeys wearing masks – so they look even more like little people – are in fact illegal, but their popularity makes them hard to control.
The film follows the people and animals involved in these shows and gives a disconcerting picture of a metropolis where many people live in appalling conditions. Despite its clear social commitment, however, Masked Monkey maintains a cheerful, playful tone. The filmmaker gambols around his subject (like a monkey, you could say) and does not ask too many questions. He simply observes – something he is very good at.

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