Battle of the Queens

Running time: 70 mins

In an isolated Swiss valley majestic cows carry on an archaic local tradition - the amazing Battle of the Queens.

In an isolated valley surrounded by mighty mountains, majestic cows carry on an archaic tradition - The Battle of the Queens. All but unknown outside the Valais region of Switzerland, this contest draws as many as 10,000 afficionados annually. But these are mainly battles of bluff and threat between magnificent mammoth-muscled cows, not the bloody battles of brood-gathering bulls. When two of these bovine mountains charge each other, more shoulder to shoulder than head to head, the contest is won or lost not by damage or injury but by mere demurral: the instant one combatant turns away, the battle is over.

Shot in stunning widescreen black and white and leavened with a gentle sense of humor, this is a truly wonderful film, where even the losers are winners.

- Charlie Cockey

Preceded by the short film: It's Me, Helmut; dir. Nicolas Steiner; Switzerland; 11 min.; On his 60th birthday (or is it 57th?) a few friends stop by to wish Helmut a happy birthday.

(Director Nicolas Steiner will attend all of his screenings due to the generous support of The Consulate of Switzerland in San Francisco)