The Social Power of Cinema
This week we host a discussion with Cornell University sociology PhD student, Loredana Loy, on how representations of nonhuman animals and advocacy issues in cinema provide opportunities for social change and create an auspicious momentum for advocacy on behalf of nonhuman animals. Loredana;s blog series “Cinema for Social Change” provides a glimpse into her research...
Dying for Trophies and Trinkets: Threats to Bears, Rhinos, Elephants, and Tigers
Bears on the B.C. coast are being killed for their heads and paws. Elephants, rhinos and tigers are being hunted to extinction for ivory and folk remedies. Douglas Neasloss from the Bears Forever project, and Anne Pick and Tristan Chytroschek from the documentary film Gambling On Extinction, join Animal Voices to talk about...
Filmmaker Rob Stewart Wants to Save The Humans (And Everyone Else). Plus, Animal Rights Events Across Southern Ontario
Following the success of his film Sharkwater, Rob Stewart aims to educate people about ocean acidification, the “evil brother of climate change”, with his new film Revolution and book Save The Humans. Plus, we take a whirlwind tour of animal rights events happening across southern Ontario in October.
Life in Prison for Killer Whales: Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Director of Blackfish, on the Tragedy of Marine Parks
Gabriela Cowperthwaite was a regular “mother who took her kids to Seaworld”... then Tilikum the orca killed trainer Dawn Brancheau, and Cowperthwaite set out to understand why. The result is the documentary film Blackfish. Hear all about the film that has got people talking about captivity, made Seaworld nervous, and maybe even influenced the plot...
Filmmaker Liz Marshall Shines a Light on The Ghosts In Our Machine
The Ghosts in Our Machine is a new documentary that follows photographer Jo-Anne McArthur as she documents the lives of animals whose suffering is largely invisible in industrialized society. Join us for a conversation with writer & director Liz Marshall.
Hosting Vegan Secret Suppers with Mérida Anderson / Patricia Sims’ New Documentary Elephants Never Forget
Mérida Anderson talks about her Vegan Secret Supper club that is now a cookbook. Then, filmmaker Patricia Sims tells us about her in-progress documentary, Elephants Never Forget, that follows a young elephant's introduction into the wild after a life of street-begging.
A New Take on Animal Testing: Filmmaker Karol Orzechowski on his powerful documentary, Maximum Tolerated Dose
Filmmaker Karol Orzechowski talks about his documentary Maximum Tolerated Dose. Featuring the stories of former lab workers who rejected animal testing and animals who survived it, the film takes a unique (and non-gory) approach to exposing the secretive world of animal testing.
Getting “Vegucated” with film writer/director/editor Marisa Miller Wolfson
Marisa Miller Wolfson discusses the inspiration for and making of Vegucated, a first-of-its-kind documentary that follows a trio of carnivorous New Yorkers through the process of becoming vegan. Wolfson, a longtime vegan and veteran food activist, describes the incredible seven-year process of making the film, during which she discovered how very complex and costly documentary...
Changing the Paradigm: An Interview with Documentary Filmmaker Vanessa Schulz
This week we speak with photographer, documentary filmmaker and founder of 21st Paradigm, Vanessa Schulz. Schulz is the director of such films as Cull of the Wild and Cost of Freedom. Her forthcoming film, Lost Dogs, examines street dogs in Santiago, Chile and the dedicated animal advocates who work tirelessly to help dogs abandoned on the...
Me, My Fight, My Problem, Tonight: An Interview with “Bold Native” Director Denis Henry Hennelly
“They say freedom isn’t free. Absolutely goddamn right. We spend our lives saying no. Not me, not my fight, not my problem, not tonight. What’s the difference between you and me? A few years ago I became someone who said yes. Me, my fight, my problem, tonight.” -Charlie Cranehill, from the film Bold Native Breaking...
Shadow City: An Interview with Cat City Director Justine Pimlott
Beneath the finely constructed facades of an urban centre such as Toronto, there is a different city that teems and struggles to make its way. Though we’re probably all familiar with the cats that live in our homes or neighbourhoods, we might not know so much about the other world of cats that exists in...
A Friendly Face-to-Face: An Upcoming Documentary Series Gets Personal
Although the term “vegan” is gaining cultural currency, who vegans are and what motivates them are still often subjects of widespread misconception and stereotyping. On the flip side, some vegans can stumble when explaining their ethical positions and dietary choices to a skeptical, or perhaps even receptive, audience. While graphic images and animal-related literature remain...
