Joaquin Phoenix executive producer credits now extend to the ambitious documentary “Trillion,” which premiered at IDFA under the direction of Victor Kossakovsky. The film, produced by Sant & Usant and Louverture Films, explores a unique act of preservation that throws light on the staggering extraction of ocean life annually and questions humanity’s connection to the natural world.
Genesis of ‘Trillion’: An Unusual Artistic Quest Inspires a Major Documentary
After the Berlinale premiere of his film “Aquarela,” filmmaker Victor Kossakovsky received an unexpected email from an artist identified as K49814, known for her years-long project collecting fish scales. Unlike his usual habit of deleting fan messages, Kossakovsky decided to meet the woman, which set the stage for his next project. Her home, described as being filled
“from the bottom to the ceiling”
with meticulously cleaned and stored fish scales, left a deep impression on the director. The sight inspired him to develop “Trillion,” a wordless documentary in which the artist embarks on a pilgrimage to a Norwegian island to release thousands of the collected scales back into the ocean.
The title, “Trillion,” is derived from a statistic that overwhelmed Kossakovsky: over a trillion fish are taken from the oceans for human consumption each year—a figure he hopes will shock viewers into reflection. In the film, the focus is less about K49814 as an individual and more on the philosophical and environmental questions raised by her actions.
Director Kossakovsky Reflects on Artistic Overlap and Empathy
Recalling his first exposure to the project, Kossakovsky described the artist’s apartment as uniquely dedicated to her cause, filled top to bottom with her painstakingly processed collection.
“I opened the door to her apartment and, from the bottom to the ceiling, it was full of fish scales. She cleaned them in her bathroom, dried them by hand, and stored them in the living room. It was unbelievable. Nobody understood it.”
— Victor Kossakovsky, Director
Kossakovsky noted that even among esteemed peers, few grasped the meaning of the artist’s mission, though he personally felt it resulted in one of his finest films yet. He linked the impact of “Trillion” with his acclaimed past works, particularly “The Belovs” and “Gunda,” citing a similar sense of deep purpose and artistic fulfillment.
“When I made ‘Gunda.’ I knew I had made something more important than myself,”
he said.
“Even more so this time. I think it’s my most important film because it is pure documentary. It’s simple. Every single take is one take; we just followed her.”
— Victor Kossakovsky, Director
With “Trillion” and “Gunda,” Kossakovsky considers himself two-thirds through what he calls his Empathy Trilogy. However, the years between projects are not just due to the challenge of funding ambitious documentaries, but also significant bureaucratic hurdles. Returning fish scales to their natural environment required legal navigation, as authorities raised environmental concerns.
“Governments say it might damage the ocean,”
the director commented, highlighting the regulatory complications involved in transporting natural materials across borders.
Joaquin Phoenix Embraces Role as Executive Producer
Among the passionate supporters of Kossakovsky’s vision is Joaquin Phoenix, who also served as an executive producer on “Gunda.” Their collaboration began after Phoenix’s Oscar-winning speech for “Joker” moved many, leading Kossakovsky’s friends to note the shared philosophies between the actor and director.
“I think that we’ve become very disconnected from the natural world, and many of us are guilty of an egocentric worldview, the belief that we’re the center of the universe,”
— Joaquin Phoenix, Actor
With shared values, the two quickly established a partnership. The relationship deepened through creative exchanges, despite delays caused by the COVID pandemic. When Kossakovsky sent Phoenix a rough cut of “Trillion,” Phoenix eagerly expressed his desire to be involved.
“I sent him [‘Gunda’] and he called me back immediately.”
— Victor Kossakovsky, Director
“We immediately talked about things the same way. Then, unfortunately, COVID happened when we had so many ideas to share. When I started working on ‘Trillion,’ I sent him a rough cut, and he said he wanted to be a part of it and wanted to help and support it. He’s an open-hearted man. I love that he watched the film with his family, his mom, and his sisters. He’s a beautiful person, and it’s beautiful working together because he’s open to such strange projects.”
— Victor Kossakovsky, Director
Phoenix, along with Susan Rockefeller, Frank Lehmann, Fridrik Mar, and Kaja Bjelke, contributed as executive producers, while Joslyn Barnes, Anita Rehoff Larsen, and Tone Grøttjord-Glenne managed production through Louverture Films and Sant & Usant.
In his official remarks, Phoenix points to the urgency of the documentary’s message:
“Trillion brings us a much-needed and ultimately revealing new perspective on our relationship with the natural world, and how that relationship should and needs to change.”
— Joaquin Phoenix, Executive Producer
“Just as with his prior film, ‘Gunda,’ I immediately felt I had to support such a bold artistic and cinematic vision, as well as support a filmmaker for whom the value of empathy is the driving force and the defining focus.”
— Joaquin Phoenix, Executive Producer
Empathy and the Broader Human Condition
Kossakovsky links his filmmaking to a broader conversation on empathy and ethical living. He observes disparities between people’s intentions and collective impact, reflecting on both global crises and everyday choices. In conversation, he draws on Tolstoy and the concept of humanism to question why large-scale killing—of animals and humans alike—continues despite a world filled with kind individuals.
“I can see there are more nice people than bad people. Yet, we kill by the millions. I know a lot of Russian people who are nice, and yet we are causing a catastrophe today in Ukraine. We are behaving as gangsters, as monsters. I ask myself: Why? I agree with Tolstoy, who said it doesn’t matter whether we kill a person or an animal; it’s the act of killing. We kill a billion pigs every year, 60 billion chickens, a trillion fish. It’s called humanism. Tolstoy was right. We have to stop killing.”
— Victor Kossakovsky, Director
Ongoing Impact and What’s Next for the Project
The world premiere of “Trillion” at IDFA marks a milestone for Kossakovsky’s Empathy Trilogy, signaling a powerful artistic statement on the intersection of humanity and nature. Anonymous Content is managing global distribution, and with Joaquin Phoenix executive producer spotlighting the film, the documentary is set to challenge audiences worldwide.
By exploring the complex relationship between art, activism, and empathy, the filmmakers, executive producers, and the creative team behind “Trillion” emphasize not only the magnitude of what is lost each year from the oceans but also the urgent need for reflection and change. Their collective effort underscores how storytelling can drive awareness and, potentially, inspire transformation in how society relates to the environment and to all living beings.
