Best of 2021: First Cow 12A

Celebrated American filmmaker Kelly Reichardt returns with First Cow, a touching take on friendship that’s jam-packed with warmth, charm and plenty of cakes.

Set in the early 19th century, Cookie, a loner and skilled cook, has travelled west and joined a group of fur trappers in Oregon Territory. Here, he finds friendship with a Chinese immigrant named King. When a wealthy landowner imports a cow, Cookie and King see an opportunity to strike up a business and find their fortune. What follows is a heart-warming tale of misadventures, told through Reichardt’s uniquely gentle, understated lens.