Film - Plant Based News https://plantbasednews.org/category/culture/film/ Disrupting The Conventional Narrative Mon, 08 Apr 2024 16:19:01 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.2 https://plantbasednews.org/app/uploads/2020/10/cropped-pbnlogo-150x150.png Film - Plant Based News https://plantbasednews.org/category/culture/film/ 32 32 ‘Food For Profit’: The New Documentary On Factory Farming In Europe https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/food-for-profit-documentary/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/food-for-profit-documentary/#respond Mon, 08 Apr 2024 10:33:53 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=317534 Food For Profit explores the huge business of European factory farming

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An explosive new animal rights documentary is set for release later this year.

Food For Profit is the result of a five-year investigation by journalist Guilia Innocenzi into the links between the European Parliament and the 387 billion euros-funded factory farming industry. Co-directed by Innocenzi and Pablo D’Ambrosi, the film premiered at the European Parliament in Brussels in February this year. An English-language film that features international experts on the farming industry, some have already dubbed it ‘the European Cowspiracy’. One description from an Italian TV show said that it “makes Europe tremble.”

Read more: Cowspiracy Is The ‘Most Effective’ Vegan Documentary, Poll Finds

Speaking to Plant Based News (PBN) about the film, D’Ambrosi said: “Europeans think that the meat and dairy that are consuming is of high quality, essentially different from the cheap meat that Americans or Chinese are eating. In Food For Profit, we show that in reality there is no difference, in fact, 90 percent of the meat consumed in Europe comes from factory farms.”

A 400 billion euro industry

According to D’Ambrosi, this industry received a large part of the almost 400 billion euros of taxpayers money, “disguised within the Green Deal.” He said that this deal is “everything but green,” and instead finances big Agri Groups. “The trick is to divert the money in subsidies to crops for animal feed, allowing this machine of mass animal exploitation to carry on undisturbed and without the knowledge of the public,” he continued.

Read more: ‘I Could Never Go Vegan’: How To Watch The Hugely Anticipated Documentary

Using hidden camera footage, Innocenzi is seen in the film approaching politicians and people involved in factory farming, several of whom try to prevent her and the film crew from investigating and filming. 

D’Ambrosi explains how the film crew “infiltrated the high sphere of power in Europe by sending a lobbyist to meet with MEPs and other lobbyists.”

“We filmed them secretly talking about gene editing and how to improve productivity in intensive farms, to keep up with their competitors, notably China and the USA,” he explained. “The picture that emerges is shocking: a complete disregard for animals, nature, and communities. A system of legalized corruption exposes the huge power lobbies have in Europe (in Brussels alone there are 25,000 lobbyists), revealing a wide democratic gap between ‘us’ — citizens, and ‘them’ — politicians and lobbyists.”

The wide-ranging impact of the film

A still from new vegan documentary Food For Profit showing a woman with a camera
Food For Profit The documentary has already been screened at a number of Italian cinemas

The film has had quite an impact so far, with its Instagram page amassing 70,000 followers in a short space of time, and Italian national newspapers and television have covered the film’s release also. It has been shown in over 500 Italian cinemas, as well as screenings in universities and schools. “It was the first time that an independent documentary reached these levels and this is all thanks to the people and activists that supported us,” D’Ambrosi said.

Read more: What Is ‘Christspiracy’? Inside The Film Everyone’s Talking About

Innocenzi, who features heavily throughout the film, added: “We’ve already screened the film at the European Parliament, which was our premiere, and we’ll screen the film at the Italian Parliament. Last week we were the number one film in Italy for occupancy rate in cinemas. We will screen the film also at Yale, Melbourne University, in Barcelona, and many other European countries.”

You can learn more about the film on its official website.

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‘I Could Never Go Vegan’: How To Watch The Hugely Anticipated Documentary https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/i-could-never-go-vegan-documentary/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/i-could-never-go-vegan-documentary/#respond Wed, 13 Mar 2024 09:50:30 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=316427 A new vegan documentary is coming soon to cinemas

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A film described as “the vegan documentary we’ve all been waiting for” is being released in cinemas next month. 

I Could Never Go Vegan, which comes from Dartmouth Films, explores and refutes some of the many arguments that non-vegans use against veganism. 

The film is directed by award-winning filmmaker Thomas Pickering, who switched to a vegan lifestyle after being raised vegetarian. Despite the undeniable benefits veganism has for animals, us, and the planet, Pickering has stated that he is constantly being told by others that they are unable to drop animal products. 

I Could Never Go Vegan is truly a film for anyone who has ever heard or said these words,” Pickering said in a statement. “It’s not uncommon for me to have daily conversations with friends, colleagues or strangers, and for them to utter these words to me. But why? That’s exactly what I wanted to explore in this film, seeking to find out whether the arguments that face the vegan movement are justified or not”

Arguments against veganism

Arguments explored in the film include “Where would I get my protein?”, that animals live a “good life,” the B12 issue, as well as the idea that veganism is too expensive

The film features a number of well-known faces in the vegan community, including environmentalist and author George Monbiot, powerlifting champion Sophia Ellis, as well as health professionals Dr Shireen Kassam, Dr Gemma Newman, and Dr Alan Desmond

Vegan actor Alicia Silverstone endorsed the film describing it as “the vegan documentary we’ve all been waiting for.” She, alongside musician Alissa White-Gluz, businesswoman Heather Mills, and actor Peter Egan, serves as executive producer. 

How to watch ‘I Could Never Go Vegan’

Environmentalist and author George Monbiot in a still from new vegan documentary I Could Never Go Vegan
I Could Never Go Vegan Environmentalist George Monbiot is a talking head in the film

There will be two premieres of the film – one in London’s Curzon Soho on April 10, and the other at Curzon Sheffield on April 11. Both premieres will also feature a Q&A session, and Peter Egan will host the London one. Premiere tickets are available to buy on the Curzon website

The film is set for release on April 19, and will be available to watch in cinemas in the UK and Ireland. The current confirmed dates and locations are as follows (please note: there will be more cinema dates added in due course). 

  • April 19 – Oxford Curzon
  • April 20 – Picturehouse Brighton
  • April 21 – Picturehouse Ritzy (Brixton, London)
  • April 22 – Picturehouse Little Theatre Cinema (Bath)
  • April 22 – Depot (Lewes)
  • April 23 – Picturehouse Hackney Cinema (London)
  • April 24 – Picturehouse Cambridge
  • April 25 – Picturehouse Norwich
  • April 26 – The Poly (Falmouth)
  • April 27 – Picturehouse Liverpool
  • April 28 – The Poly (Falmouth)
  • April 29 – Picturehouse Cameo (Edinburgh)
  • May 15 – Picturehouse Henley-On-Thames

Buy tickets for Picturehouse screenings here

Will ‘I Could Never Go Vegan’ be available to watch online?

Pickering confirmed to Plant Based News that the film will be available to watch online after the cinema release. This means that viewers in the US and other countries will be able to watch it. The filmmakers will confirm what online platform it will be on at a later date.

Watch the ‘I Could Never Go Vegan’ trailer

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How To Watch ‘Christspiracy’: The Documentary Is Being Released Very Soon https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/how-to-watch-christspiracy/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/how-to-watch-christspiracy/#respond Wed, 21 Feb 2024 14:50:20 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=314732 Christspiracy: The Spirituality Secret is coming soon to movie theaters - here’s when and how to watch it

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Christspiracy caused a huge stir when it was first announced last year, and people around the world have been waiting in anticipation for news of its release date. The makers have now finally confirmed it will be available to watch in a matter of weeks. Here’s how to watch Christspiracy

The film comes from Kip Andersen, the maker of Cowspiracy, What the Health, and Seaspiracy. He teamed up with Kameron Waters, a US-based Christian who posed the question “is there an ethical or a spiritual way to kill an animal?” to him at a Q&A session a few years ago. The pair went on a journey to four continents to answer that question, focusing on religions including Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, as well as Christianity. 

While the film largely revolves around religion, it also explores ethics, philosophy, history, and a variety of other disciplines, meaning it has a broad appeal beyond those who are religious or interested in religion. 

Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch Christspiracy, and when it’s being released. 

When is the Christspiracy release date?

A still from new vegan film Christspiracy, whose release date has been confirmed
Christspiracy Christspiracy is being released in movie theaters worldwide

The filmmakers have now confirmed that Christspiracy will be released worldwide on March 20, 2024. 

Will Christspiracy be on Netflix?

Andersen’s previous films have been available to watch on streaming service Netflix, but this will not be the case for Christspiracy

Due to the controversial nature of the film, which was originally called Cowspiritual, Andersen said that Netflix had asked for substantial edits, which weren’t in line with the makers’ vision of the film. 

“[We are] super grateful to Netflix for providing a platform and releasing the other three previous films,” Andersen previously told Plant Based News (PBN). “With this film it is a little challenging, as some of the subject matter is so bold and so controversial.”

How to watch Christspiracy

The movie is set for theatrical release on two dates (March 20 and March 24) in a number of countries in the world. These include: 

  • USA
  • UK
  • Ireland
  • Australia
  • Canada
  • New Zealand

Christspiracy will be brought to cinemas in these countries by Trafalgar Releasing (the company that worked on the releases of films including Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour, Renaissance, and CS Lewis: The Most Reluctant Convert). The filmmakers have confirmed that 50 percent of net proceeds from theater ticket sales will be donated to animal charities.

For more information on how to get Christspiracy tickets, click here

Can I watch Christspiracy online?

There hasn’t yet been any official announcement on whether Christspiracy will be available online – but watch this space!

What is Christspiracy about?

Vegan documenatry filmmaker Kip Andersen, the creator of Christspiracy
WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo Christspiracy is the latest film from Kip Andersen

As mentioned previously, the film explores a range of different religions and disciplines, but its central focus – as the name suggests – concerns the life of Jesus Christ. 

According to the creators, the film exposes the “biggest cover-up in 2,000 years.” Andersen says that this cover-up is “deeply embedded in the fabric of our society,” and that the film’s revelation “just might redefine what it truly means to be human(e).”

It exposes this cover-up by exploring how some religions have adapted over time to enable their followers to justify cruelty to animals, when this is not what they originally preached. 

Christspiracy is an exclusive story about Jesus Christ that has never been told before,” said Andersen. “What we have uncovered will transform history and future teachings forever.”

He added that the film will show “the truth about what Jesus really meant and what he wanted,” and that the findings were verified by Oxford University professors and doctors. 

“We unveil why the world’s religions have hidden the truth from their people,” said Andersen. “The film and truth will shock you to the core.”

Is Christspiracy anti-Christian?

For anyone concerned that the film may have anti-religious themes, the filmmakers have clarified that the film is not anti-Christian, or anti any of the other religions explored. 

In an Instagram post responding to the question of whether Christspiracy is a “Christian or Christian-bashing film,” Andersen and Waters said: “Absolutely not. In fact, this film explores more than the Christian faith and includes Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and even philosophy, sociology, and history to deeply explore how faiths around the world answer the question: ‘Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal?’ No Christians were harmed in the making of this film. We promise.”

They have also stated that they’re “not pointing fingers, we’re asking questions.”

“What’s been really fun [in test screenings] is that from atheists to devout conservative Christians, any walk of life, they love this film.”

Waters grew up in Georgia, and spent the majority of his childhood in the church. As a child, he never questioned his decision to eat animals, as everyone around him had always eaten meat. He was involved in A Christian hunting and fishing club growing up, until eventually he started asking himself the same question he would put to Andersen years later: Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal? And if so, how would Jesus kill an animal?

Christspiracy hits movie theaters on March 20, 2024

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Vegan Actor Mia McKenna-Bruce Wins BAFTA https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/mia-mckenna-bruce-vegan-actor-bafta/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/mia-mckenna-bruce-vegan-actor-bafta/#respond Mon, 19 Feb 2024 15:48:51 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=314621 Mia McKenna-Bruce starred in 'How To Have Sex'

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Vegan actor Mia McKenna-Bruce won the only BAFTA decided by public vote at the 2024 awards.

At a glitzy ceremony at Royal Festival Hall in London, McKenna-Bruce won the EE Rising Star Award for her representation of Tara in the movie How to Have Sex (2023).

The 26-year-old from Kent has been vegan for seven years.

McKenna-Bruce told Plant Based News (PBN): “I’m still in total shock, I don’t think there will ever be words to describe how grateful I am to BAFTA and everyone who voted.”

The award

Mia McKenna-Bruce in a still from film How To Have Sex
Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo How To Have Sex is available to watch on Mubi

How to Have Sex was directed by Molly Manning Walker. The film follows three teenage friends on a holiday in Malia, Crete, and it explores the topic of sexual consent.

Other nominees for the Rising Star Award were Ayo Edebiri, Sophie Wilde, Jacob Elordi, and Phoebe Dynevor.

At the star-studded ceremony, other BAFTA winners included Christopher Nolan, Cillian Murphy, and Robert Downey Jr for their contributions to Oppenheimer.

McKenna-Bruce described her win as a “dream come true to be surrounded by so many people in the industry that I’ve looked up to for years.”

McKenna-Bruce’s veganism

McKenna-Bruce joins a long list of influential vegan actors.

Natalie Portman, Bella Ramsey, Sadie Sink, Evanna Lynch, Elliot Page, and Joaquin Phoenix are just a few examples of high-profile vegan actors. Last year, Phoenix wore a plant-based hat in film Napoleon.

“I’ve definitely seen it get easier on set being vegan,” McKenna-Bruce told PBN. “In the early days it would sometimes just be a lettuce sandwich for lunch, which isn’t ideal on a 12 hour day!

“Now it’s mostly pretty good, especially when filming in the UK.”

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Joey Carbstrong Releases New Documentary ‘Pignorant’ – How To Watch It https://plantbasednews.org/culture/joey-carbstrong-documentary-pignorant/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/joey-carbstrong-documentary-pignorant/#respond Mon, 12 Feb 2024 18:02:08 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=313986 Carbstrong's new documentary 'Pignorant' is now available to watch

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Animal activist Joey Carbstrong has released a new film that exposes the realities of pig farming in the UK.

The feature-length investigative documentary – named Pignorant – tracks Carbstrong on a “life-risking mission to uncover the truth behind bacon.” Directed by Carbstrong and Tarion Partridge, a fellow activist and filmmaker, the film is available to watch now.

The product of a three-year-long undercover investigation, Pignorant allows viewers to experience first hand what life is like for farmed pigs in the UK.

Carbstrong told Plant Based News (PBN): “Unsurprisingly, I wasn’t the only one who was kept in the dark about the main killing method for pigs. As my film reveals, this ‘ignorance’ is by design.”

Pignorant will open people’s eyes

Joey Carbstrong in a pig slaughter gas chamber, the most common method of pig slaughter in the UK
Amazon Prime Carbstrong has exposed the carbon dioxide gassing of pigs in the UK

In recent years, Carbstrong has released several high-profile investigations into cruelty on animal farms. In 2023, he released the first ever footage of pigs being gassed with carbon dioxide in a UK slaughterhouse.

Now, with Pignorant, he is giving viewers never-before-seen access to the UK pig farming industry. Through expert and whistle blower testimonials, the documentary exposes the UK’s cruel treatment of pigs and the lengths industry figures will go to conceal it.

“I knew in my heart, that no matter the risk, my mission was to infiltrate and expose what happens to UK pigs inside these gas chambers,” Carbstrong added. “I set out to uncover the deeply ingrained corruption and heartbreaking abuse that lies at the heart of UK pig farming, determined to go into the darkness to bring the truth out to the public eye.”

Joey Carbstrong’s vegan filmmaking

A farmed pig in the UK - still from Joey Carbstrong's new vegan film 'Pignorant'
Amazon Prime ‘Pignorant’ is available to watch on Amazon Prime now

Carbstrong is a respected animal advocate with a large online following. As well as revealing the truth about UK pig farming, the film shines a light on the undercover operations that Carbstrong and other activists undertake to expose animal cruelty industries.

Pigs are close to Carbstrong’s heart. “When I first heard about the method in which pigs are slaughtered in major countries around the world, I was genuinely shocked. My activism and campaigning efforts quickly became focused around bringing light to this reality.”

Carbstrong’s undercover cameras also captured “shocking” conditions on a UK turkey farm in the run-up to Christmas last year. The footage prompted Red Tractor to suspend the farm.

“After years of investigative work and film making, we hope Pignorant ignites a fire of change and empowers the public, in the UK and internationally, to take a stand,” Carbstrong said. “The film’s aim is to create awareness and spark change, and I hope that the public joins us in our mission to demand justice for pigs.”

Where to watch Pignorant

Hotly anticipated, Carbstrong’s ground-breaking documentary is available to stream now on Amazon Prime. It is also coming soon to other platforms.

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Cowspiracy Is The ‘Most Effective’ Vegan Documentary, Poll Finds https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/most-effective-vegan-documentaries/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/most-effective-vegan-documentaries/#respond Fri, 09 Feb 2024 06:00:00 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=313736 Documentaries are key to educating and informing people on veganism

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A new survey has revealed the most effective vegan documentaries for encouraging people new to veganism.

Based on a global survey by vegan dating app Veggly, Cowspiracy remains the most effective documentary. Other classics like Earthlings, What The Health, and The Game Changers also made the list.

The study revealed too that respondents think documentaries are the most effective way to encourage new vegans.

Alex Felipelli, Founder of Veggly, told Plant Based News (PBN): “The votes prove that all of these documentaries helped lots of vegans make the transition.”

Vegans rank Cowspiracy “most effective” documentary

Cowspiracy tops the list as the most effective documentary to show to new vegans, with more than one in five respondents choosing it.

The feature-length environmental documentary follows filmmaker Kip Andersen as he discovers the impacts of animal agriculture industry on the planet – and the extreme lengths that meat lobbyists go to stop people finding out about them. Originally released in 2014, the hard-hitting investigative film put the “sustainability secret” into the spotlight and opened many people’s eyes to the impacts of animal agriculture.

Vegan doumentary Cowspiracy spoke to environmental organizations
Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo Vegan doumentary Cowspiracy shone a light on the “sustainability secret” of animal agriculture

A decade later, its message remains as relevant. Despite an even larger body of scientific evidence, government-backed advertising campaigns still try to play down the harms of meat, fish and dairy. Scientists are pleading with governments to act on evidence rather than the interests of big corporations. All the while, the meat industry continues to confuse consumers will deliberately misleading stats.

Follow ups to Cowspiracy, including What The Health and Seaspiracy also feature on the list of most effective documentaries. Additionally, the upcoming spirituality-themed documentary, Christspiracy, is already creating a buzz. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on the impact of new documentaries, and on Christspiracy, which is due to come out later this year,” said Felipelli. “That will ruffle a lot of feathers!”

Catering to every angle

If Cowspiracy brought environmental knowledge of veganism into the mainstream, The Game Changers could be said to have done the same for health and fitness. Starring James Wilks as its charismatic centerpiece, the 2018 documentary looks at the sporting prowess of vegan athletes around the globe. It also busts anti-vegan myths around male sexual performance and protein intake.

In the survey, more than one in 10 respondents ranked The Game Changers as the most effective vegan documentary. Other health-focussed films such as What The Health (12.3 percent) and Forks Over Knives (5.3 percent) also made the list. You Are What You Eat, a new Netflix documentary tracking the health of identical twins, seems likely to be another game changer.

“There are many great reasons to go vegan,” Felipelli added. “For the animals, for the planet, for other people and food resources, for health, and for your wallet. So understanding the key motivations and most attractive arguments, based on these documentaries, is highly useful for sharing the vegan message more widely around the world.”

A screen onto the hidden truth

Vegan activism using footage from Dominion, a vegan documentary
Paul Quayle / Alamy Stock Photo Animal activists often use footage from vegan documentaries

Meat industry propaganda relies on lies and misconceptions. Bucolic imagery of happy cows mask what really happens on farms and in slaughterhouses. One documentary that shook up that comfortable ignorance was Earthlings.

Combining the environmental and ethical reasons for veganism, Earthlings (17.6 percent) was the second most popular vegan documentary voted by vegans, behind only Cowspiracy. Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, the 2005 feature-length film explores the many ways humans exploit animals. From food and pets to clothing, science, and entertainment, it addresses many key talking points for vegan educators.

Similarly, Dominion is a jolt in the arm for people who prefer not to know the reality of where their food comes from. Freely available to watch online, Dominion shows the horrifying realities of slaughter. Directed by Chris Delforce, the documentary was filmed using hidden cameras and drone footage. Animal activists frequently use clips from Dominion to educate people about the hidden truth happening behind slaughterhouse walls.

While it is uncomfortable to watch, Dominion has helped many people empathize with animals as a suffering individual, not just a number. Last year, film fans in Sweden unknowingly turned up to a cinema to watch Dominion at a secret Halloween film screening. Some 8.7 percent of respondents ranked Dominion as the most effective vegan documentary.

Documentaries are a great tool for veganism

The data also highlight how documentaries are crucial in helping to spread the vegan message. Watching vegan documentaries (50.9 percent) topped the list of best methods for encouraging new vegans, ahead of books and articles (20.3 percent), talking to friends (17.1 percent) and family (11.1 percent), and public speakers (10.7 percent).

Felipelli told PBN: “Whether these documentaries have helped you go vegan, motivated a new vegan to carry on their journey, or sparked meaningful conversations with friends about veganism – all of this makes a difference.”

The most effective vegan documentaries:

  • Cowspiracy 21.8%
  • Earthlings 17.6%
  • What The Health 12.3%
  • The Game Changers 10.1%
  • Other 9.0%
  • Dominion 8.7%
  • Forks Over Knives 5.3%
  • Seaspiracy 4.8%
  • Eating Animals 4.8%
  • Live & Let Live 2.6%
  • Before The Flood 1.8% 
  • Glass Walls 1.1%

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What Is ‘Christspiracy’? Inside The Film Everyone’s Talking About https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/what-is-christspiracy/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/what-is-christspiracy/#respond Fri, 29 Dec 2023 23:00:00 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=302482 Christspiracy is being released later this year - here, we answer all your questions about the upcoming film

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If you’ve been living under a rock and still haven’t heard of Christspiracy, it’s a hugely anticipated documentary being released in 2024. 

It’s the latest brainchild of Kip Andersen, known for his renowned films Cowspiracy (2014), What The Health (2017), and Seaspiracy (2021). All of these explored different aspects of the benefits of veganism, covering the environment, health, animals, and human rights.  

Christspiracy: The Spirituality Secret looks set to explore veganism and its links to spirituality. It explores the link between the vegan lifestyle and various religions, and aims to answer one question: “Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal?”

This question was put to Andersen by an audience member named Kameron Waters at a Q&A session a few years ago. The two subsequently teamed up, and decided to set off on a six-year investigation together to answer it through the lens of religion, philosophy, spirituality, sociology, and psychology.

Here’s everything you need to know about the new release. 

What is Christspiracy about? 

Kameron Waters in a still from new vegan film Christspiracy
Christspiracy Kameron Waters asked Kip Andersen if there’s a “spiritual way to kill an animal” in the new Christspiracy film

In an attempt to find out whether there is a spiritual way to kill an animal, Andersen and Waters traveled to four continents to explore animal ethics within five different religions. As the name suggests, one of these religions was Christianity. The two spoke to experts around the world to shed new light on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.

The film includes conversations with a number of interviewees, including well-known archaeologists and theologians. The interviews were conducted, say the filmmakers, to uncover “the biggest cover-up in the last 2,000 years, one that will transform history, forever.”

Waters grew up in Georgia in the US, and spent much of his life in the church. He even attended a Christian hunting and fishing club, and didn’t initially question the treatment of animals by members of his faith. After a few years, however, he eventually started to think seriously about his relationship with animals, leading him, eventually, to the Q&A session with Andersen. 

“Kam’s relationship to food and faith were intertwined from the day he was born,” the filmmakers previously said in a statement. “But it wasn’t until he started reassessing how his Church’s interpretation of scripture had convinced him that hunting and eating animals was okay, that he started to question, ‘How would Jesus kill an animal?’”.

Is Christspiracy a Christian film?

While Christianity may have been the initial plan of focus, the film is by no means limited to this religion. It explores the issue of animal ethics in a variety of different faiths, and Andersen previously told Plant Based News (PBN) that the film has universal appeal for all. 

“We’re not pointing fingers, we’re asking questions,” he said. “It’s a very full spectrum discussion and exploration of this subject. What’s been really fun [in test screenings] is that from atheists to hardcore conservative Christians, any walk of life, they love this film.”

Due to the name, however, some people have assumed that Christspiracy would focus wholly on Christianity. In response to whether Christspiracy is a “Christian or Christian-bashing film,” Waters and Andersen wrote on Instagram: “Absolutely not. In fact, this film explores more than the Christian faith and includes Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and even philosophy, sociology, and history to deeply explore how faiths around the world answer the question: ‘Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal?’ No Christians were harmed in the making of this film. We promise.”

The filmmakers have also emphasized that, while the film does explore religion, it is more than a religious film – focusing on ethics, as well as a number of different areas and disciplines.

Christspiracy release date

Kip Anderson, the maker of new vegan documentary Christspiracy
Christspiracy/PBN Christspiracy explores a number of different religions

We don’t yet have a confirmed Christspiracy release date, but we do know it will be some time in 2024. 

How can I watch Christspiracy?

Andersen’s other films are available to stream on Netflix, but he previously confirmed to PBN that he turned down the streaming service for Christspiracy due to the fact that they wanted to retain their own edit of the film (which was initially called Cowspiritual).

Waters and Andersen have stated that Netflix wanted to “redact” key parts of the documentary to take it in a different direction than they had intended. They therefore decided to go it alone. 

“[We are] super grateful to Netflix for providing a platform and releasing the other three previous films,” said Andersen. “With this film it is a little challenging, as some of the subject matter is so bold and so controversial.”

The filmmakers have fundraised to help bring the film to as large an audience as possible. They are aiming to bring the film to at least a billion viewers. According to their Kickstarter page, they raised USD $433,747 to help them to do this. 

Andersen and Waters say that they want the Christspiracy documentary to “go where no film has ever gone before,” and that they hope to bring it to billions of viewers. To do this, they have launched a “pay-it-forward” model where it’s hoped that people will watch the film and donate money to allow someone else to watch it for free. “It’s a cycle of kindness that YOU get to start,” they said. “This philosophy allows the film to be accessible to anyone around the world, regardless of one’s income status or subscription.”

They hope that Christspiracy will be shown in movie theaters, places of worship, and many more platforms, including “our own collective” one. “It’s more than a movie, it’s a movement,” they said. 

Find out more about the film here

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New Film Explores The Human Impact Of North Carolina Pig Farms https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/film-north-carolina-pig-farming/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/film-north-carolina-pig-farming/#respond Wed, 27 Dec 2023 12:45:04 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=301725 A new film shines a light on the unseen impacts of pig farming in North Carolina

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New film The Smell of Money involves a lot of uncomfortable sights and smells. Residents see farmers spray fields next to their houses with pig manure; the film’s viewers see the residents suffer from the effects of all this excrement. For a film about the dirty outputs of pig farming, The Smell of Money is hard to take your eyes off.

To some, the subject matter might sound about as appealing as the fecal kind that infects the residents’ air. But this is a film that everyone whose money goes to supporting the pork industry should be compelled to watch. In it, the devastation animal agriculture causes communities – often unseen and under-appreciated – is clear for all to witness.

“Our goal for the film has always been to create an impact and inspire change,” Jamie Berger, the film’s writer and producer, tells Plant Based News (PBN). “So that’s the lens through which we’ve approached the entire experience.”

A film about North Carolina

The Smell of Money puts North Carolina’s pig farms on trial. The state is one of the largest pork producers in the world, with 9.4 million pigs. Berger, along with director Shawn Bannon, make sure that viewers understand just how astronomical and ruinous this industry is.

“I was born and raised in North Carolina,” Berger says. “Learning about my home state’s pork industry and its impacts on people, animals, and the environment in college transformed me into an activist and inspired me to devote my life to ending factory farming.”

Pig farm in North Carolina
The Smell of Money Intensively farmed pigs are kept out of sight, but the stench of their waste is not something residents can ignore

North Carolina is home to more pigs than people. A wide-angle shot of more than 800 pigs crammed into one small barn shows how that is possible. We also see the impact of all these animals: giant open-air cesspools filled with millions of tons of feces and urine.

In the film, Rene Miller, a lifelong resident of North Carolina gives a tour of the fields and hog farms surrounding her home. She points out the “lagoon”, where the pigs’ waste is stored. Once filled, its contents get sprayed onto a field opposite her property.

People versus pork

Miller is one of the plaintiffs in the epic legal battle at the heart of the film. Taking on Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork company, the residents fight to reclaim their rights to clean air and pure water.

As with most David-vs-Goliath battles, it is clear whose side we are on. The nameless, faceless multinational is a ruinous giant destroying the livelihoods of local residents through its ruthless profit-making activities.

“We strove to allow those most affected by this issue to tell their own stories, in their own time, and in the hope of creating a film that would resonate with audiences on a deeply human level,” says Berger. “In exposing an industry that robs our participants of their dignity, we did our best not to replicate this harm through extractive filmmaking.”

Naeema Muhammed, another local resident, poses two of the film’s key questions. “What’s the real cost of what we want?” she asks. “Who’s paying the price?”

Around the world, more people are waking up to the ethical and environmental impacts of animal agriculture. Likewise, researchers have documented the effects on human health; for example, air pollution from farms is responsible for 17,900 deaths in the US every year. Yet, the human stories of the meat industry’s destruction are sometimes pushed to the margin. 

Environmental racism at the heart of factory farming

The Smell of Money puts the focus onto the racial injustices at the heart of factory farming.

The devastating effect of pig farming on residents is nothing new. Eastern North Carolina’s mostly Black residents have long been disproportionately affected by mega industrial farms (or concentrated animal feeding operations, CAFOs). This is an example of environmental racism, where communities of color are adversely affected by policies that force them to live in proximity to toxic waste.

A sprayfield in North Carolina, where waste from pig farming is spread onto land near residents' homes
The Smell of Money In North Carolina, pig farmers spray waste onto land near residents’ homes

“We are under no illusion that our film alone will bring justice to communities in North Carolina,” Berger says. “But we hope the film unites diverse groups fighting against factory farming. As we illustrate in the movie, this is a system that harms all of us, and we will only transform it when we work together.”

“A good American won’t intentionally stink up another American’s home”

One of the film’s key protagonists is Don Webb, a teacher who got into the pig industry in its early days in North Carolina as a way to make some extra cash.

New to the industry, he quickly became aware that the stench of his operations was harming his neighbors. “A good American won’t intentionally stink up another American’s home,” Don says in one of the film’s most memorable lines. He escaped the pig business and has since devoted his life to fighting back against the industry.

“Don’s story exemplifies what true allyship looks like,” Berger says. “He made an enormous personal sacrifice to do what he knew was right and to use his own racial and economic privilege to fight for others who had been deprived of their fundamental human rights to clean air, clean water, and a safe place to live.”

Don Webb, a former North Carolina pig farmer who tells his story in The Smell of Money
The Smell of Money Don Webb is a former North Carolina pig farmer who tells his story in The Smell of Money

Stop paying for environmental racism

Berger hopes the film will be a useful resource for environmental and social justice causes. “We hope that advocates and organizations fighting for justice will use the film as an education and advocacy tool to achieve their own goals,” she says.

Beyond activist groups, the film should open all viewer’s eyes to the true impacts of animal agriculture. “One clear, empowering action consumers can take right away is to withdraw our support from factory farming by refusing to buy animal products,” says Berger. In the US, 99 percent of all meat, dairy, and eggs comes from factory farms.

“Animal agriculture is rooted in deeply entrenched systems like capitalism and colonialism that oppress and commodify living beings,” Berger adds. Although changing these structural forces involves decades or centuries of collective effort, individuals are not powerless to influence.

One farmer’s transition to plant based

Tom Butler is a North Carolina hog farmer, who became disillusioned when he realized the impacts his activities were having on local communities. “The consumer can shut down Smithfield next week,” he says in the film.

He is now actively transitioning towards growing mushrooms in partnership with his son, Will. “They have been wonderful supporters of the film and we are excited to see their progress,” says Berger.

Tom and Will are working with Mercy For Animals’ Transfarmation Project, which supports factory farmers to transition to growing sustainable crops. “Many farmers are desperate to get out of this business that keeps them trapped in debt and emotional and physical anguish,” Berger adds. “So the hope is that Tom and others in the program will serve as models others can follow.”

The Smell of Money is available to stream now on Apple, Google Play, Amazon, and YouTube

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‘Chicken Run 2’ Rips Into The Meat Industry https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/opinion-piece/chicken-run-2-rips-into-meat-industry/ https://plantbasednews.org/opinion/opinion-piece/chicken-run-2-rips-into-meat-industry/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 16:51:51 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=301906 Dawn of the Nugget makes a strong case for animal liberation

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*Warning: this article contains mild spoilers for Chicken Run 2*

The makers of Chicken Run 2: Dawn of the Nugget may have rejected suggestions they set out to turn viewers vegan. But the film is both a withering indictment of the meat industry and a sharp critique of our meat-eating culture. It’s hard to imagine anyone wanting to tuck into a bit of chicken again after watching it.

Following Ginger, Rocky, and the rest of the gang from the original 2000 Chicken Run film, Dawn of the Nugget takes us on a rescue mission inside Fun-Land Farms. Molly (Bella Ramsey), the daughter of Ginger (Thandiwe Newton) and Rocky (Zachary Levi), has run away from the island safe haven where the chickens who escaped Tweedy’s farm in the last film. 

Lured in by the promise of fun, Molly and new pal Frizzle (Josie Sedgwick-Davies) end up at Fun-Land, only to discover it is anything but.

No real freedom

Chicken Run 2, Molly hatching
Aardman/Netflix Ginger and Rocky’s daughter Molly wants to be free to explore the world

Clearly traumatized from her time on Tweedy’s farm, Ginger tells Molly nothing of the world beyond their island. But Molly wants more than what the little idyll can offer. The island isn’t a farm, but Molly still feels trapped on it.

When a new poultry farm is built across the water, Ginger decides the only option for her community is to hide itself. Given her reputation as a “freedom fighter,” they’re surprised and relieved that Ginger wants to prioritize their safety.

“We can’t risk our freedom by venturing into a world that finds chickens so delicious,” Ginger tells brainiac chicken Mac (Lynn Ferguson). 

Although Ginger and her friends have escaped the meat industry, as long as it exists they will never truly be free or safe. I couldn’t help feeling Ginger was really addressing the audience, asking us: is a moment of pleasure for you worth our lives?

Not so Fun-Land

Once Molly manages to run away, she comes across Frizzle, a chicken who has been deemed “too small” to be taken to Fun-Land. It’s a rare moment in which the film glosses over the reality of what happens to chickens. In the real world, an underweight chicken would be killed on the farm, probably by having their neck snapped.

Though Frizzle’s escape from this fate is left unexplained, the very next scene pulls no punches in showing us this fact about the meat industry: it lies to us. And it gets way with it because it tells people what they want to hear.

Molly and Frizzle are determined to get to Fun-Land Farms for one reason – the nugget factory’s marketing. The side of the farm truck they follow has a picture of a happy chicken sitting in a bucket among sunny green fields. “The happy chicken truck,” Frizzle heartbreakingly calls it. All she and Molly want is some fun and adventure, and they’re only too eager to believe in what Fun-Land Farms is selling them.

Inside, the farm looks like an ideal of the free range farms that we’re told are so nice for the chickens to live on. But it quickly becomes apparent that it isn’t at all what it seems, mirroring reality. Undercover investigations have revealed that being “free range” is no guarantee of a good life.

“It’s not as much fun as it looked on the posters,” Frizzle says, fear starting to creep into her voice. Yes, the chickens at Fun-Land are happy, but for a very dark reason indeed.

Erasing animals

Chicken Run 2, Tweedy
Aardman/Netflix Tweedy is back as the head of the nugget factory

The nugget factory turns out be using technology that the actual meat industry probably dreams about. Every chicken is fitted with a collar that makes them docile, dim, and happy. 

A promotional video played to a restaurant executive who visits the factory explains that birds panic when “faced with processing.” They tense their muscles and knots form in their connective tissue, which makes the meat “tough, dry and flavourless.”

“What if we could make a chicken happy to be processed?” the narrator of the video asks. The collars are the solution. When it’s time for the chickens to become nuggets, their collars are triggered to make them go willingly, happily, to their deaths.

The collars are a potent symbol of two aspects of chicken farming and animal farming generally. One is the myth of humane slaughter. The chickens at Fun-Land do not want to die. Any without a collar strives not only to live but to enjoy their life. To kill them is always to do them harm, no matter how it’s done.

The second is the way animal farming erases individuals and turns animals into a homogenous mass. They become merely numbers – each collar in Fun-Land is numbered – and not unique beings with their own feelings and personalities. It’s easier not to feel sorry for the animals you’re eating if it you try to forget their cognitive and emotional complexity. This is exactly what some meat-eaters do.

As if to drive home the point that chickens are not dumb automatons as many like to believe, the film flips this characterization by making many of the humans characters stupid and clumsy. Meanwhile, our chicken heroes are good problem-solvers with good social skills – just as they are in real life.

A message of liberation

Dawn of the Nugget makes a strong case for the liberation of animals from all farms. And it pulls it off without telling its audience what to do, because its target is the meat industry and its protagonists are chickens. There is no other world they could wish for than one where none of their kind is killed for food. This will probably make that idea more palatable to many.

Maybe none of the messages I saw in the film were intended by the filmmakers. But the only way not to see those messages is to ignore all the context in which this film was made. The proliferation of intensive chicken farms in the UK and elsewhere. The callously misleading advertising by the meat industry. The fact that billions of chickens – who are sensitive, feeling individuals – suffer and die every year just so people can eat chicken nuggets.

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Vegan Commercial To Air Before New ‘Wonka’ Movie https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/vegan-commercial-wonka-film/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/vegan-commercial-wonka-film/#respond Fri, 15 Dec 2023 14:23:20 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=301830 A vegan commercial will precede the major Hollywood film in a number of movie theaters

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For what’s thought to be the first time ever, a vegan commercial will air before a major Hollywood film at movie theaters across the United States.

The commercial from Eat Differently will be shown before the new Wonka film in 1,800 movie theaters. Directed by BAFTA winner Alex Lockwood, it encourages people to adopt a plant-based diet.

Vegan Wonka commercial

Wonka is a much-hyped prequel to the 1971 classic film starring Gene Wilder. It has an all-star cast, including Hugh Grant and Olivia Colman. 

The prequel is a musical origin myth for Willy Wonka, the flamboyant factory owner created by Roald Dahl in 1964.

In the new film, Wonka (played by Timothée Chalamet) puts a new spin on the iconic “Pure Imagination” song. Building on that theme, the commercial asks viewers to imagine a world where people eat plants not animals.

Change the world

Timothee Chalamet as Wonka in a new prequel film, which will be preceded by a new vegan commercial
Album / Alamy Stock Photo Audiences will see a vegan commercial before the new Wonka film

According to Eat Differently, the film “mirrors the belief that we are all the dreamers of dreams and every one of us can make a difference.”

For Lockwood, Wonka was therefore the ideal choice for the big screen’s first vegan commercial.

The ad’s theme, Lockwood says, is “how artists can, and do, change the world.” To reinforce that point, it brings together people from music, film, and art who are making a difference for animals and the planet.

Famous vegans seen in the commercial include Billie Eilish and Joaquin Phoenix.

Don’t forget the vegan chocolates

For Wonka fans heading to watch the film, there are an abundance of vegan chocolates to choose from.

Popular brand Vego recently launched its creamy hazelnut-based chocolate in the US. You can also get a vegan version of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups and a vegan milk chocolate bar from Mars.

The vegan chocolate market is now expected to grow faster than dairy, experts have predicted.

You can watch the commercial below:

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‘I’ve Never Seen A Cartoon Like This’: Could ‘Chicken Run 2’ Turn Viewers Vegan? https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/could-chicken-run-2-turn-viewers-vegan/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/could-chicken-run-2-turn-viewers-vegan/#respond Tue, 12 Dec 2023 16:26:53 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=301493 Chicken Run 2 might be an animated comedy, but it shows the dark reality of chicken farming

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The long-awaited Chicken Run sequel drops on Netflix this Friday – and animal advocates are wondering if it’ll create a new wave of vegans.

Twenty-three years after the original movie came out, Chicken Run 2: Dawn of the Nuggets will take viewers inside a horrifying intensive chicken farm. When Molly, the daughter of beloved original characters Ginger and Rocky, is captured and taken to a factory farm, our heroes have to take daring action to rescue her and the other chickens before they’re turned into nuggets.

“I’ve never seen a cartoon like this,” Matthew Glover, founder of Veganuary, told the Guardian, amid speculation the film would turn many viewers vegan. Richard McIlwain, CEO of the UK Vegetarian Society pointed out that whatever the film’s intended message, it does depict the reality of chicken factory farming. “They’re not making it up,” he said.

The power of films that center animals

chickens on a factory farm
Stefano Belacchi / Equalia / We Animals Media The reality of chicken farming

Several films have previously been credited causing a subsequent surge in people giving up meat. Babe, released in 1995, reportedly led to the a notable rise in people becoming vegetarian. It also turned its star, James Cromwell, from vegetarian to vegan, and he has become well-known for his vegan advocacy.

The 2017 film Okja, about a girl befriending a genetically-engineered giant pig bound for slaughter, made Jon Ronson, the film’s co-writer, go vegetarian. He said he remembers “loads of people tweeting that they were never eating meat again.”

It’s not just fictional movies that have the power to make people appreciate the individuality and value of animals. The documentary My Octopus Teacher has helped boost public concern over a proposed octopus farm. Another documentary, Seaspiracy, caused a spike in Google searches for “vegan seafood”.

Cast and crew ditch meat

During production of the stop-motion animated film, Chicken Run 2 director Sam Fell stopped eating meat. “The chickens are the heroes, so I put myself in a chicken’s point of view,’ he has said of making the film.

Thandiwe Newton, who replaces voice actor Julia Sawalha as Ginger, has been a vegan for years. Game of Thrones alumnus Bella Ramsey, who voices Molly, is also vegan and has used social media to advocate for veganism.

Jane Horrocks, who starred in the original Chicken Run and returns in the sequel as Babs, voiced Tessa the Turkey in PETA’s new Christmas ad this year. Comedian Romesh Ranganathan, replacing Timothy Spall as the voice of Nick, is another vegan cast member.

Vegan nuggets

Despite ditching meat himself, Fell said the film isn’t trying to convert people and is circumspect about its power to do so. “People love eating nuggets it seems, so I don’t think everyone’s going to suddenly stop,” he told Metro.

But for those who can’t stomach a nugget made from chickens after seeing the film, there are plenty of vegan options. And they’re becoming so realistic that they can make chicken nuggets seem pointless.

Burger King UK sells vegans nuggets, while McDonald’s has launched plant-based McNuggets across its restaurants in Germany.

Brands including Quorn, Fry’s, and Squeaky Bean all make vegan nuggets, available at various supermarkets.

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Joaquin Phoenix Wore A Plant-Based Hat For ‘Napoleon’ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/joaquin-phoenix-plant-based-hat-napoleon/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/joaquin-phoenix-plant-based-hat-napoleon/#respond Fri, 01 Dec 2023 11:51:51 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=300498 Joaquin Phoenix has been vegan since the age of three

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Oscar-winning actor and vegan activist Joaquin Phoenix requested to have a vegan hat made for the filming of Napoleon, as he wasn’t willing to wear a hat made from sheep’s wool created especially for the film. 

The historical epic movie, based on the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, has grossed USD $36.2 million in the United States and Canada, and $47.5 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $83.7 million. 

Phoenix stars as the titular Napoleon Bonaparte, and the biopic charts his rise to power as French emperor and military commander, as well as his tempestuous relationship with Empress Joséphine, portrayed by Vanessa Kirby (The Crown, Mission: Impossible — Fallout). Directed by Ridley Scott, the film is currently in cinemas before it moves to Apple TV+. 

Phoenix consulted with costume designer David Crossman on the issue of the bicorn hat, one of the most iconic parts of Napoleon’s famed regal dress. A specialist in military clothing, Crossman said he had a “mini panic” about the hats in an interview with the New York Times, which were made from wool. One of Napoleon Bonaparte’s original felt wool recently sold in a French auction for $2.1 million. “I just felt it’s going to be a problem of what to make the iconic hat out of because it’s going to be all about the hat,” Crossman said, knowing Phoenix doesn’t wear any animal products as part of his vegan lifestyle

Finding a vegan solution

Vegan celebrity Joaquin Phoenix in a plant-based hat on the set of Napoleon
FlixPix / Alamy Stock Photo Napoleon was released earlier this year

He managed to source a solution, however: they constructed the large and opulent hats from a fabric that uses tree bark originating in Uganda, meaning the hats were completely animal and cruelty-free.

“I thought, ‘oh good, we’re out of trouble,’” Crossman said. “I was just so worried it was going to be some polyester synthetic thing. But it gave us a lot of lovely surface texture on the hat.”

Click here to read why vegan’s don’t wear wool and the cruelty involved in the industry.

Joaquin Phoenix’s vegan advocacy

Phoenix went vegan at the age of three — he and his family witnessed fish being thrown against the side of a boat and stunned, which prompted the entire Phoenix family to become vegan. As his fame and acting career has grown following performances in Gladiator and Walk The Line, he has increasingly used his platform for animal rights activism

He is the narrator in the animal rights documentaries Earthlings and Dominion and he used his Best Actor speech at the Oscars (for his lead performance in Joker) to speak about the abuse of cows in the dairy industry, and its impact on the environment. The day after his Oscar win, he rescued a cow and her calf from a farm in California in partnership with Farm Sanctuary. His partner, actor Rooney Mara (The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Carol) is also vegan, and the pair have been spotted at protests outside slaughterhouses in the US as animals arrive in trucks, among other animal rights activism around the country. 

Horse riding controversy

Despite Phoenix’s work with the filmmakers to ensure he would not wear any wool, leather, or other animal products in Napoleon, his role in the film still caused some controversy and backlash among the animal rights community, as he was required to ride horses during filming.

Besides the fact vegans avoid horse riding for ethical reasons, this has caused further surprise as Phoenix spoke of his regret about riding horses for the 2018 film The Sister Brothers. He said at the time: 

“I didn’t like riding horses. I regretted having to ride. I’m a little clueless because I don’t think that I thought about it that much until I was there and realized, ‘Oh, it’s a Western, and we’re on horses a lot.’ I hadn’t considered that. I felt bad about riding them. I had the feeling that they were like, ‘I don’t really want you on my back.’”

Animal rights group PETA holds the position that horses are “historically among the animals most commonly injured and killed when exploited for entertainment.” A recent high-profile case saw a horse die from cardiac arrest while pulling a carriage for The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. 

Phoenix has not publicly commented on the horse riding in Napoleon.

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‘Why We Turned Down Netflix’: ‘Christspiracy’ Directors Reveal Truth About Explosive New Documentary https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/christspiracy-directors-turned-down-netflix/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/christspiracy-directors-turned-down-netflix/#respond Mon, 27 Nov 2023 18:17:41 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=300125 Directors Kip Andersen and Kameron Waters discuss their new documentary film Christspiracy, including why they turned down distribution from streaming giant Netflix

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The long path to Kip Andersen and Kameron Waters’ new investigative documentary film Christspiracy: The Spirituality Secret began with a single thought-provoking question: “Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal?”

Waters, an aspiring filmmaker at the time, posed the question at a Q&A session with Andersen, a director and producer already known for his coverage of human health, environmental issues, and animal rights in the documentaries What the Health (2017), Cowspiracy (2015), and Seaspiracy (2021).

“I’ll put it this way,” Waters told Andersen at the Q&A. “How would Jesus kill an animal?”

That provocative philosophical question was the catalyst for five years of investigation, research, and filmmaking by Andersen and Waters as they explored how religious teachings, practices, and lore intersect with industrialized farming and large-scale animal exploitation.

Kameron Waters holding a microphone in a still from new vegan documentary Christspiracy
Christspiracy The film trailer sees Kameron ask Kip: “Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal?”

Christspiracy carefully documents that journey, depicting Andersen and Waters traveling from continent to continent and interviewing experts of all kinds – from world-renowned theologians to Christian farmers and Indigenous shamans.

The two co-creators say that their new film will finally conclude the series that Andersen began with Cowspiracy nearly a decade ago, and could revolutionize the way viewers “think about faith, ethics, and our relationship to animals forever.”

Plant Based News spoke to Andersen and Waters to learn more about the upcoming documentary and to find out why this is the first of Andersen’s films not coming to Netflix.

Christspiracy: where animal rights meets theology

Kip Andersen, the maker of new vegan film Christspiracy
Sheri Determan / Alamy Stock Photo Christspiracy is the newest film from Kip Andersen, who is known for Cowspiracy, What the Health, and Seaspiracy

Andersen (a self-described non-religious quasi-spiritual documentarian) and Waters (a Southern Baptist gospel musician) aren’t the first to delve into spirituality and the ethics of eating animals. In fact, debate over modern interpretation and potential misinterpretation of religious texts and ideas is one of the key concepts at the heart of Christspiracy.

Andersen and Waters believe that modern spiritual leaders are simply ignoring the pressing issues of industrial animal exploitation – which impacts human lives and the planet along with animals themselves – despite historical and theological precedents for engaging with them.

“In a way, this film was the most dear to me,” Andersen tells Plant Based News. “Because it touches on the subject that was most personal for me and dealing with animal ethics. We feel it’s gonna make the most impact globally and in a lot of different ways—historically, and for the movement, and rewriting history in a way. It’s a very, very important film.”

This intersection of theology and animal ethics hits particularly close to home for Waters, who grew up in Georgia and spent the majority of his childhood in church. He comes from a long family line of ministers and church music leaders and was actually a professional gospel songwriter and performer himself before becoming a documentarian.

As a teenager, Waters was involved in a Christian hunting and fishing club, and at the time he accepted his peers’ attitudes towards animals at face value—until he eventually asked himself the same questions he would put to Andersen years later. Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal? And if so, how would Jesus kill an animal?

Waters’ awareness of meat consumption and animal agriculture first began to change when he participated in something called the ‘Daniel fast’ – a partial fast based on the lifelong Kosher diet of the biblical figure Daniel – and stopped eating meat. (For most folks, the fast typically means no meat, no dairy, no rich foods, and plenty of vegetables.)

“These characters from the Bible were like my superheroes,” explains Waters. “I wanted to be like Daniel, and I didn’t realize that aspect until I was old enough to comprehend. I started asking questions, [and] those questions made my peers uncomfortable, which made me want to ask those questions more deeply.”

Despite the title Christspiracy and Waters’ personal experiences, he and Andersen are quick to say their work goes “way beyond” just Christianity, exploring all the ethics of different religions as well as the psychological, sociological, and philosophical factors at play.

“We’re not pointing fingers, we’re asking questions,” adds Andersen. “It’s a very full spectrum discussion and exploration of this subject. What’s been really fun [in test screenings] is that from atheists to hardcore conservative Christians, any walk of life, they love this film.”

‘Why we turned down Netflix’ for the Christspiracy documentary

Despite the extremely positive test screenings reported by Andersen and Waters, theology and animal rights are two topics that will always have the potential to be divisive. (During production, the pair had their homes ransacked and Waters even moved into his van.)

So while Netflix was set to distribute its own edit of the new film, which was at the time called Cowspiritual, the filmmakers ultimately chose to retain creative direction and release Christspiracy themselves, independently, with the help of a crowdfunding campaign. This was to avoid proposed redactions from Netflix. 

“[We are] super grateful to Netflix for providing a platform and releasing the other three previous films,” says Andersen. “With this film it is a little challenging, as some of the subject matter is so bold and so controversial.”

In the two weeks since launching a Kickstarter campaign, supporters have already donated over £290,000 GBP, and fans will have until December 1 to back the project. The filmmakers are also using a “Pay-It-Forward” model, meaning that the film will theoretically be available to billions of people for free or pay-what-you-can, rather than just to Netflix’s subscribers.

“It was a gut-wrenching decision to step away from Netflix,” adds Waters. “But now that we’ve sat with it—and have considered how much more reach this message will have with people around the world by doing this independently—we’re very excited.”

Christspiracy is coming to theatres and streaming platforms internationally in 2024 in line with global demand. You can back the project and find out more on Kickstarter here.

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More Than 100 Horror Fans Unwittingly Watch ‘Dominion’ After Attending Mystery Screening https://plantbasednews.org/animals/horror-fans-watch-dominion-mystery-screening/ https://plantbasednews.org/animals/horror-fans-watch-dominion-mystery-screening/#respond Thu, 02 Nov 2023 16:14:02 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=298546 Ticket holders to the highly publicized screening had no idea what film they'd be watching

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More than 100 film fans in Stockholm, Sweden attended a secret horror film screening for Halloween 2023, not realizing they’d be watching Dominion, the 2018 documentary exposing animal cruelty in Australian farms and slaughterhouses. 

A huge buzz was generated for the mystery event. The screening sold out, with 130 people buying tickets. The Dominion secret screening took place at the Victoria Cinema in central Stockholm. Not only was the film itself secret, but the group of vegan activists behind the event made sure they were completely unknown to the audience in the buildup to the screening.  

Audience react to Dominion

People sat in a cinema room at a "secret screening" that showed animal rights documentary Dominion
Stockholm Vegans The audience did not know what film they’d be watching

According to the organizers, there was a very mixed reaction to the reveal of Dominion. Some walked out of the cinema early on, while others stayed to discuss the movie with the vegan activists who organized the event. 

“We were pleased with how the evening turned out, the reactions ranged from anger to sadness, but this was to be expected,” Malin, one of the activists, told Plant Based News (PBN). “Many people told us they understood why we did this even if they didn’t like what they saw.”

An animal activist speaks to members of the public about Dominion
Stockholm Vegans Experienced outreach spoke to attendees after the screening

There were members of the audience who couldn’t watch the entirety of the Dominion screening but were happy to stay and talk to the vegan activists in the foyer afterward. Some of the attendees are said to have become visibly upset while talking about what they had witnessed in the film.

The importance of Dominion

Dominion was directed by well-known vegan activist Chris Delforce, who co-produced the film with The Farm Transparency Project. Using hidden cameras and drone footage, Delforce exposed farm animal slaughter methods such as the use of carbon dioxide to gas pigs, and the maceration of chicks. While the footage was filmed in Australia, it depicts standard practices used on farms all over the world. 

The film also had celebrity backing, with Oscar-winner Joaquin Phoenix and acclaimed-actor Rooney Mara narrating parts of the film. They were joined in narrating the documentary by Australian popstar Sia and celebrity tattoo-artist Kat Von D. In 2019, Dominion was viewed 55,000 times in 48 hours following a series of coordinated protests across Australia. 

A still showing an intensive pig farm from vegan documentary Dominion
Dominion Dominion depicts the reality of animal agriculture

It was made after a successful crowdfunding campaign to the public, while also being backed by the Australian animal rights organization Voiceless. Since its release, vegan activists around the world often refer to the film, encouraging people to watch the movie. On the film database IMDb, Dominion is listed under the genres ‘documentary’ and ‘horror’.

Secret screening events have increasingly grown in popularity in recent years. The concept sees a person buying a ticket to a cinema, not knowing what the film will be until it begins in the auditorium. It has been championed by companies like Secret Cinema in the UK, and cinema chain Cineworld has monthly secret screenings as part of its program.

A sell-out event

The secretive Dominion event built its buzz by displaying posters around Stockholm. This was hugely compounded when culture and tourism website Visit Stockholm began advertising the event on its website — the tourist information group’s Instagram page alone has 311,000 followers. 

The vegan organizers also secured some support from Swedish plant-based milk brand Oatly and cruelty-free cosmetics company Lush, with both companies supplying gifts for the screening. These were distributed into goodie bags that were given to attendees as they left the auditorium. The bags also contained vegan sweets, information on getting started with a plant-based lifestyle, and discount vouchers for local vegan restaurants.

Tickets for the film raised 10,000 Swedish Krona for a local animal sanctuary, Åsas Hönsfristad, that rescues chickens from the egg and meat industry. Åsa Andersson, who runs the sanctuary, was delighted with the money raised, and told Plant Based News (PBN): “Rescuing one chicken will not change the world, but it will change the world for one chicken.”

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‘Christspiracy’: The New Documentary From The Co-Creator Of ‘Cowspiracy’ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/christspiracy-documentary/ https://plantbasednews.org/culture/film/christspiracy-documentary/#respond Wed, 01 Nov 2023 12:00:00 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=298436 Christspiracy: The Spirituality Secret explores the link between animal ethics and religion

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The co-creator of hugely popular vegan documentaries Cowspiracy, Seaspiracy, and What The Health has announced that he has a new film in the works. 

Christspiracy: The Spirituality Secret explores the link between animal ethics and all religions. The film has been described as “equally ambitious” to its predecessors, which all explored the impacts animal agriculture has on our health and the environment. 

The new documentary sees filmmaker Kip Andersen team up with Kameron Waters and attempt to answer one question: “Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal?”. It answers this question through the lens of religion, spirituality, philosophy, sociology, and psychology.

Kameron Waters holding a microphone in a still from new vegan documentary Christspiracy
Christspiracy The film trailer sees Kameron ask Kip: “Is there a spiritual way to kill an animal?”

During a six year investigation, Andersen and Waters travel to four continents and explore the issue of animal ethics in the context of five major religions. The filmmakers conducted in-depth interviews with experts and from these religions, and took part in a number of “meaningful discussions.” 

The film sees the two journey into the historical and cultural context of Jesus’ time, shedding new light on his life, teachings, and veganism. Key questions they aim to answer with this work include: “Did Jesus’ compassion spread to animals as well?”

Support Christspiracy

Due to different visions of how the film should be told, the filmmakers boldly bought back the rights from Netflix so they were able to put out the full unedited version and reach as many people as possible

We don’t yet have a release date for the film, but the creators are currently fundraising to help them bring Christspiracy to as large an audience as possible. 

You can donate money to their Kickstarter campaign, which is aiming to raise more than USD $300,000 to enable them to maximize the documentary’s reach worldwide. 

“Contributors to the Christspiracy crowdfunding campaign will have the opportunity to be part of a groundbreaking project that could reshape our understanding of one of history’s most influential figures,” said the filmmakers in a statement. “Backers will receive exclusive updates, behind-the-scenes content, and other exciting perks as a token of appreciation for their support.”

To learn more about “Christspiracy” and to pre order the film and support the theatrical release please visit the film’s Kickstarter.

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WATCH: Paul McCartney-Approved Vegan Documentary H.O.P.E. https://plantbasednews.org/more/videos/watch-hope-documentary-what-you-eat-matters/ https://plantbasednews.org/more/videos/watch-hope-documentary-what-you-eat-matters/#respond Wed, 12 Jul 2023 03:06:14 +0000 https://plantbasednews.org/?p=292421 The film, which is available for free online, drives home the message that individual choices matter

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“What You Eat Matters” – that’s the key message of 2018 documentary H.O.P.E., which stands for Healing of Planet Earth. The film aims to showcase the benefits of a whole-food plant-based diet, with particular focus on nutrition and public health.

Austrian author and filmmaker Nina Messinger is the creator of the film, which features experts such as Dr. Jane Goodall, Dr. Vandana Shiva, Dr. Melanie Joy, and Dr. T. Colin Campbell.

The documentary has also won the approval of other high-profile names, including Sir Paul McCartney. The musician reportedly stated: “This important film highlights the choices we must make to help protect this planet and all its inhabitants.”

The English version of the movie is available for free online with Arabic, Chinese, Czech, Dutch, French, Hungarian, Indonesian, Korean, Portuguese, Slovenian, and Spanish subtitles. There is also a German version called HOPE FOR ALL: Unsere Nahrung – Unsere Hoffnung.

Watch the English version of H.O.P.E. – What You Eat Matters on the Plant Based News YouTube channel below:

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WATCH – ‘Vegan: Everyday Stories’ Documentary

How To Watch ‘Eating Our Way To Extinction’ For Free

WATCH: 5 Times Dairy Farmers Went Vegan

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