Animal rights & environmentalism documentaries must-sees.
Have you become interested in environmentalism and/or animal rights? Then you need to see one or more of these films and (mainly) documentaries. I rated the ones that I've seen myself, the other ones were recommendations by other vegans / (animal rights) activists that I know -- please educate yourself & your surroundings. This list could help you and/or other people be a tiny part of a movement that could potentially save the planet. Sharing is caring.
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- DirectorTom McPheeStarsTom McPheeJane GarrisonLamonte ChenevertIn the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, America suffered the worst domestic animal crisis in its history. Tens of thousands of house pets were left to perish in neighborhoods all across the gulf when the owners were forced to evacuate without their pets. Tom McPhee went to Gonzales, Louisiana not knowing how he would help, just knowing he needed to help somehow. He volunteered at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center and by chance found himself spending the next four days taking picture after picture of thousands of house pets rescued from flooded New Orleans. For the next 16 months Tom would document this historic event as it unfolded, trying to understand where it all went wrong. An American Opera is an unflinching, operatic vision of what happened to the people of New Orleans who were forced to evacuate without their beloved pets. Follow the story of the Pets, Vets, Owners, Officials, Rescuers and Adopters of animals as they all work through the chaos to do what is right only to discover not everyone is working toward the same goal!
- DirectorDan StonePatrick Gambuti Jr.StarsPaul WatsonAlex CornelissenPeter HammarstedtAt the Edge of the World chronicles the controversial Sea Shepherd Antarctic Campaign against a Japanese whaling fleet. The international volunteer crew, under-trained and under-equipped, develop a combination of bizarre and brilliant tactics with which to stop the whalers. But first they must find the Japanese ships, a far more difficult challenge than ever imagined - long-time activist Paul Watson and first-time captain Alex Cornelissen employ an array of strategies in the hopes of finding an elusive adversary in the vast expanse of the Ross Sea. With one ship (the Farley Mowat) too slow to chase down the whaling fleet, with their second ship (the Robert Hunter) unsuited for Antarctic ice conditions and with no country supporting their efforts to enforce international law, the situation becomes increasingly desperate. Against all odds, however, a real-life pirate tale unfolds - a modern-day "David vs. Goliath" adventure.
- DirectorShannon KeithStarsShannon KeithKeith MannKevin KjonaasBehind the Mask: The Story Of The People Who Risk Everything To Save Animals is a 2006 documentary film about the Animal Liberation Front. It took three years of filming, interviewing, and editing to complete."The film is about animal rights activists who break into laboratories and other facilities to provide previously unseen footage of the way animals are used.
It includes well-known names within the animal rights movement, some of whom have been imprisoned for taking direct action. The story of Jill Phipps, who was killed when she fell under a lorry while protesting against the live export of animals, is told, with her mother saying, "They call us terrorists but the reality is that over the years four animal rights activists have been killed during protests."" - DirectorJulie LoftonStarsDavid DuchovnyPeter HaaseThe captivating documentary "Best Friend Forgotten" sheds light on the difficult issue of pet overpopulation. The documentary, hosted by David Duchovny (X-files), tells the stories of Oreo the cat and Clover the dog as they face the harsh realities of pet overpopulation. Viewers get a thoughtful and balanced look at the controversial practice of euthanasia and the alternative "no-kill" movement. Candid interviews reveal common myths about spaying and neutering, and leaders from government to animal rights groups discuss the plague of pet overpopulation and the impact on our society.
- DirectorGabriela CowperthwaiteStarsTilikumDave DuffusSamantha BergA documentary following the controversial captivity of killer whales, and its dangers for both humans and whales.
- DirectorDenis Henry HennellyStarsJoaquin PastorRandolph MantoothSheila VandCharlie Cranehill, an animal liberator wanted for domestic terrorism, emerges from the underground to coordinate a nationwide action as his estranged CEO father tries to find him before the FBI does.
- DirectorLouie PsihoyosStarsRichard O'BarryLouie PsihoyosHardy JonesUsing state-of-the-art equipment, a group of activists, led by renowned dolphin trainer Ric O'Barry, infiltrate a cove near Taijii, Japan to expose both a shocking instance of animal abuse and a serious threat to human health.
- DirectorShaun MonsonStarsJoaquin PhoenixUsing hidden cameras and never-before-seen footage, Earthlings chronicles the day-to-day practices of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit.
- DirectorMichael WebberStarsTim HarrisonTerry BrumfieldRuss ClearTake a journey deep inside the fascinating world where wild exotic animals are kept as household pets.
- StarsBrad AndrewsKen BalcombHardy JonesThe first comprehensive film to reveal the long and sordid history of the captive whale and dolphin entertainment business. Many of these marine parks and aquariums are directly or indirectly responsible for the death of thousands of the very animals they use for public entertainment. Premature deaths. Trainer injuries. Illegal practices. Educational misrepresentation. Government incompetence. Secret deals. These and many other issues are presented, and documented for the first time in this powerful documentary, narrated by actor Mike Farrell.Available on YouTube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7kQYj2MgAY.
- DirectorRobert KennerStarsMichael PollanEric SchlosserRichard LobbAn unflattering look inside America's corporate controlled food industry.
- DirectorLee FulkersonStarsLee FulkersonMatthew LedermanAlona PuldeExamines the profound claim that most, if not all, of the degenerative diseases that afflict us can be controlled, or even reversed, by rejecting our present menu of animal-based and processed foods.
- DirectorLiz MarshallStarsMarcel SabaLori ReesePerrie WardellA cinematic documentary that illuminates the lives of individual animals living within and rescued from the machine of our modern world.
- DirectorMarshall CurrySam CullmanStarsDaniel McGowanLisa McGowanTim LewisA rare behind-the-curtain look at the Earth Liberation Front, the radical environmental group that the FBI calls America's 'number one domestic terrorist threat.'
- DirectorEmily JamesStarsJames LeadbitterThis punchy, adrenaline-fuelled documentary lifts the lid on climate activism and the troublemakers who dare to cross the line.
- DirectorTim GorskiStarsJohn CroweLolitaRichard O'BarryThis Provocative and Revealing must-see documentary uniquely addresses man's relationship with wildlife. It speaks not only to animal lovers and activists, but to anyone at all who may have been duped by marine theme park propaganda. In fact, this is the film that an entire industry would rather you not see. And whether you like it or not, Lolita: Slave to Entertainment is assured to ignite conversation - if not heated debate.Available on YouTube; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wGxMLiL1uZI.
- DirectorJenny SteinStarsGene BaurLorri BaustonHarold BrownPeaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home explores the powerful struggle of conscience experienced by several people from traditional farming backgrounds who come to question the basic assumptions of their way of life. A riveting story of transformation and healing, the documentary portrays the farmers' sometimes amazing connections with the animals under their care, while also providing insight into the complex web of social, psychological and economic forces that have led to their inner conflict. Interwoven with the farmers' stories is the dramatic animal rescue work of a newly-trained humane police officer whose sense of justice puts her at odds with the law she is charged to uphold. With strikingly honest interviews and rare footage demonstrating the emotional lives and intense family bonds of animals most often viewed as living commodities, this groundbreaking documentary shatters stereotypical notions of farmers, farm life, and perhaps most surprisingly, farm animals themselves."A story of transformation and healing, 'Peacable Kingdom: The Journey Home' explores the awakening conscience of several people who grew up in traditional farming culture and who have now come to question the basic assumptions of their way of life.
Presented through a woven tapestry of memories, music, and breathtaking accounts of life-altering moments, the film provides insight into the farmers' sometimes amazing connections with the animals under their care, while also making clear the complex web of social, psychological and economic forces that have led them to their present dilemma." - DirectorTim LewisTim ReamStarsJake FergusonMick GarvinTim IngalsbeeA diverse coalition of activists rises to defend an ancient forest from logging in Warner Creek, within Oregon's Willamette National Forest. They block a logging access road and fend off state police."PickAxe is a mesmerising 1999 account of one of the most successful and pioneering forest conservation campaigns in US history, a year-long blockade by eco-activists associated with the Earth First! movement to prevent the logging of an area old-growth forest in Oregon’s Willamite National Park."
- DirectorRonald ColbyStarsPeter BrownRonald ColbyAlex CornelissenA documentary on Paul Watson, who takes the law into his own hands on the open seas, confronting, by any nonviolent means necessary, the hunters who indiscriminately slaughter whales, seals and sharks, along with complicit governments and environmental organizations.
- DirectorShelley Lee DaviesOr ShlomiStarsT. Colin CampbellRichard DollGidon EshelThe story of three men's life-long search for a diet which is good for our health, the environment and the future of our planet - showcasing some of the best food you have ever seen.
- DirectorJames MarshStarsNim ChimpskyStephanie LaFargeHerbert TerraceTells the story of a chimpanzee taken from its mother at birth and raised like a human child by a family in a brownstone on the upper West Side in the 1970s.
- DirectorRob StewartStarsRob StewartPaul WatsonErich RitterAn investigation of sharks' importance to ecosystems and humankind's mass destruction of shark species worldwide.
- DirectorShannon KeithStarsShane BarbiSia BarbiEd Begley Jr.Fur is sexy, beautiful, sensuous and luxurious. Nothing feels better against your skin, and beautiful, sexy, successful people wear it. Fur is also environmentally friendly and is therefore a sustainable resource. These are the campaigns the fur industry uses to get people to commit the ultimate atrocities permitted against animals. Consumers are misled by retailers who assure them that animals used for fur are humanely euthanized, intentionally hiding the reality of how the animals are hideously killed. Step inside the world of SKIN TRADE. Hundreds of hours of interviews with insiders, designers, leaders and celebrities compiled in a heart punching documentary directed and produced by award winning director Shannon Keith. This film lends a voice to the voiceless whose skin is ripped from them while often still alive. Understand what makes this savage industry tick and what it will take to change it. Whether you are a fan of fur or repulsed by the thought, you owe it to yourself to watch this moving peek inside the dark world of ugly glamour and painful beauty.
- DirectorMark DevriesStarsSteven BestRichard DawkinsGary FrancioneA young man begins investigating the underworld of "factory farming" and soon discovers a growing political and intellectual movement that considers animals as important as humans."Speciesism: The Movie is a forthcoming documentary film by American director Mark Devries. It explores the concept and practice of speciesism, the assignment of value to beings on the basis of species membership.
The film features interviews with Peter Singer, Richard Dawkins, Temple Grandin, and Bruce Friedrich, and shows material shot in and around factory farms in the United States." - DirectorMarisa Miller WolfsonStarsMarisa Miller WolfsonChloe DavisCody TarlowVegucated is a guerrilla-style documentary that follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks and learn what it's all about.
- DirectorJenny SteinStarsConrad BuchananMichelle Ann CasperRachel CyriacksTransformed by the love of a kitten, a tough New York City construction contractor is inspired to rescue abandoned animals, become a vegetarian, and take his message of compassion to the streets.
- DirectorMark WoodwardStarsJohn HannahIngrid VisserThe killer whale is one of the most feared predators in the ocean and most would consider it madness to enter the water with one. But New Zealander Dr Ingrid Visser thinks differently - and by swimming with her beloved whales she has come to know almost all of them by sight. But there's been an unusual number of deaths recently and Ingrid is on a mission to find out what is going on. Her findings reveal disturbing new information about the health of our oceans.