Maharajah Burger. Mad Cows, Holy Cows

The exact genesis is unknown, but the origins of the reverence for cows as part of Hinduism probably date back a few centuries. Until today, one can find bovine animals freely walking the streets of India. To Hindus, the consumption of the meat of the sacred cow is a revolting activity. For filmmaker Thomas Balmès, this phenomenon was the starting point for his documentary MAHARAJAH BURGER. He travelled to Gaushala in India, where Hindus give tender loving care to old and ailing cows. He asked several people their opinion about the mad cow crisis, the BSE epidemic that led to mass hysteria and a plunge in beef trade some years ago in Europe. A film about the hamburger as a dubious symbol of social and economic progress.