Synopsis
Controversial, confrontational and riveting, The Animals Film remains an acutely resonant work for today. This unique feature-documentary received worldwide critical acclaim for its filmic power, questioning how and why modern societies exploit animals for food, fur, sport, entertainment and science. It showed scenes that had never been filmed before and footage uncovered through dogged research. The film is noteworthy for its groundbreaking ironic style, integrating diverse “found footage” including cartoons, newsreels, advertisements, and government propaganda films, mingled with vox pops and rock music. The original cinema version on Tënk includes the volatile material which was censored on the UK’s Channel 4 – filmed sequences of animal liberation raids and clandestine interviews with the campaigners involved. Narrated by Oscar-winner Julie Christie, with music by David Byrne/Talking Heads and a compelling score composed and performed by Robert Wyatt, the film is credited with inspiring generations of vegetarians and vegans.
A word from Tënk
Ingeniously edited, The Animals Film reveals a global portrait of animal exploitation systems. From traditional hunting in Britain to the dairy industry to experiments on monkeys - the great victims of scientific lobbying - Myriam Alaux and Victor Schonfeld take advantage of the era's indifference to these issues to obtain unprecedented footage.
The strength of this film lies in its ability to combine a multitude of opinions with a highly militant viewpoint. The filmmakers succeeded in capturing candid testimonies from key players in animal abuse: scientists, farmers, and even the president of the McDonald's fast-food chain. While this groundbreaking documentary is upsetting and disturbing, it also provokes much-needed reflection on our consumption patterns and our sensitivity toward others.
"You can't bring about change without shocking those responsible," sums up a young activist in the middle of the film. That's what the filmmakers do: they shock us, and let's face it, it's an absolutely necessary evil.
Emile Dufresne
Assistant of acquisitions at Tënk
and filmmaker
