The Cornucopia Club

A group of people get together for an annual and rather unconventional type of feast. However, this time things will be different.

Several individuals are inside a large dining room, sitting around a table that is filled with bottles, candles and plates containing scraps, including the skull of a goat. The reason for the gathering is an yearly tradition that has been followed for centuries and involves participants eating all the animals in the world in one session. And now, they have done just that and only one thing remains to devour: a human body. On top of that, the party is about to be crashed by a group of animal activists.

The entire narrative of this dark comedy takes place inside the dining room and the first half consists of the diners having a laugh, discussing the event that they are currently attending and having a minor argument about eating human flesh, as one of them is not so keen on it. The atmosphere changes with the sudden arrival of the activists, who threaten them with weapons and demand that they stop eating animals. What makes this an amusing viewing is the dialogue and the performances, particularly Mulvin's, who is wearing a military uniform and is the host. Other characters who stand out include a guest who seems to see the funny side in things and an activist who appears to be French. Generally, the diners come across as obnoxious and the audience will most likely side with the activists, whose aim is to protect animals. There are confrontations, betrayals and tense moments.

The situation is certainly engaging: a bunch of wealthy individuals eating every animal species on Earth and about to commit cannibalism and it gets even more engaging when the activists appear. The film explores interesting issues that involve animal rights, cannibalism, social inequality and a brief reference to social media.

The cinematography by Gergana Popova creates a dark atmosphere and the piano melodies establish a comical tone.

This is a story about an extraordinary event and the people involved. Conflicting opinions, awkward characters and a sort of hostage situation make this short a viewing that is worth looking into.