Animals are hidden within the shadows of our highly mechanized world. That is the message of a new documentary project by Liz Marshall featuring the life and work of animal rights photographer Jo-Anne McArthur, a woman who has equal parts bravery and empathy for non-human animals trapped inside of a cold and mechanized world which reduces their identity down to mere commodities.
Video can be one of the most powerful and moving means for enlightening us and motivating us to take action. Each year there are dozens of films worth seeing for those of us passionate about working toward a just, compassionate, healthy world for all. We’ve narrowed the list down to 12 suggested must-see movies of 2011.
Free from Harm’s exclusive interview with the lovely and talented filmmaker Shira Lane discussing her new documentary film, Got the Facts on Milk?, an entertaining, award winning feature documentary that dares to question the conventional wisdom of the much publicized health benefits of milk and dairy products.
In an eye-opening new research paper called The Conceptual Separation of Food and Animals in Childhood, University of Bristol researchers Kate Stewart and Matthew Cole explore how we, as a society, teach our children a separate morality for food animals that intercepts a child’s natural tendency to protect and empathize with all animals. As the paper points out, when we explain to children for the first time where meat comes from, their first reaction is often revulsion. Parents confront this moral quandary by explaining to children why farm animals have a different role in our lives than other animals.
How does eating beef contribute to the greenhouse gas emissions that are hastening climate change? Why does meat production have serious impacts on our soil, air, and water? That is what the new documentary short called The Secret Life of Beef answers. While many films on the subject focus on animal welfare and ethical concerns, Secret Life of Beef focuses specifically on the climate and environmental consequences directly caused by our consumption of beef and meat in general.
