EARTHLINGS is a feature length documentary about humanity's absolute dependence on animals (for pets, food, clothing, entertainment, and scientific research) but also illustrates our complete disrespect for these so-called "non-human providers." The film is narrated by Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix (GLADIATOR) and features music by the critically acclaimed platinum artist Moby .
With an in-depth study into pet stores, puppy mills and animals shelters, as well as factory farms, the leather and fur trades, sports and entertainment industries, and finally the medical and scientific profession, EARTHLINGS uses hidden cameras and never before seen footage to chronicle the day-to-day practices of some of the largest industries in the world, all of which rely entirely on animals for profit. Powerful, informative and thought-provoking, EARTHLINGS is by far the most comprehensive documentary ever produced on the correlation between nature, animals, and human economic interests. There are many worthy animal rights films available, but this one transcends the setting. EARTHLINGS cries to be seen. Highly recommended!
EARTHLINGS has taken five years to produce. What began as a series of Public Service Announcements on spaying and neutering pets, evolved into a feature-length film on every major animal-related issue. Writer/Director Shaun Monson began the process by shooting footage at animal shelters in South Central L.A., Long Beach and North Hollywood. The PSAs were soon completed as his interest moved to other problem areas, like food and scientific research. In time, he accumulated a small library of material from several animal welfare organizations, and started editing. The process was a slow one. As footage gradually came in, Joaquin's narration was recorded (in stages), and a soundtrack was added. Along with all of Moby's music, some original pieces were also written for the film.
In 2005, EARTHLINGS premiered at the Artivist Film Festival, (where it won Best Documentary Feature), followed by the Boston International Film Festival, (where it won the Best Content Award), and most recently at the San Diego Film Festival, (where it won Best Documentary Film, as well as the Humanitarian Award to Joaquin Phoenix for his work on the film).
1. PETS
Many strays and unwanted pets are killed - ideally by lethal injection but, since that is rather expensive, often by gas. Shows much disturbing footage.
2. FOOD
Six billion animals are killed for food each year.
Kosher slaughter: Done with huge machines, not as you might imagine. Kosher prohibitions vs. actual practice.
Veal: Calves chained in a crate for 4 months before slaughter. Fed a mineral deficient diet.
Pigs: Gestation crates, cannibalism, waste pits, tail docking, ear clipping, teeth cutting, castration (all done on baby pigs without anesthetics), electric prods, throat slitting, boiling, hair removal and drowning.
Poultry: Americans consume as many chickens in one day in the year 2005 as they did in one year in 1930; the biggest poultry companies kill 8.5 million chickens a day.
Debeaking infant chicks, living conditions (60-90,000 chickens in some buildings), transportation, slaughter, dangled upside down on a conveyor belt, troats slit while alive so they bleed to death. If these slaughterhouses had glass walls, we might all be vegetarians - but who wants to look.
Emerson quotation (1860): "You have just dined, and however scrupulously the slaughterhouse is concealed in the raceful distance of miles, there is complicity" (Source: "The Conduct of Life." Chapter on "Fate)."
Sea food: What happens to all the waste? Most of it is dumped back into the oceans, huge factory trawlers. Whaling was outlawed in 1985. Dolphin slaughter in Japan - their throats are slight out of water and they die of suffocation in agony. Their blood runs back into the ocean as pollution. - Pfiesteria: A disease that is 1,000 times more potent than cyanide. Originates in hog farms and has killed many fish. -
3. CLOTHES
Leather: Where does it come from? India! Cattle slaughter is forbidden in most of India, so the cattle must be captured (often brutally) and transported to a part of India where their slaughter is condoned.
During transportation the cattle may be treated badly by their handlers and they fall or "go down." So their tails can be broken or chili pepper rubbed in their eyes to to make them stand.
All this before slaughter, when their throats are cut - while they are still alive - and they bleed to death.
Tanning involves the use of harsh chemicals to prevent the hide from its natural decomposition. These chemicals can be toxic to tannery workers in India.
Most leather retail chains sell leather from Indian cattle since their hides make better leather than the hides of other cattle.
Fur: More than 100 million animals are killed each year for fur; of these, 25 million are killed in the United States.
Most of these animals are raised in cages on fur farms. Cage madness is endless circling and complete disorientation. After they are killed and their skins / furs stripped off, the remaining meat is fed back to the animals in the cages.
Canadian seal hunt.
4. ENTERTAINMENT
Mark Twain quotation: "Of all the creatures ever made [man] is the most detestable... He is the only creature that inflicts pain for sport, knowing it to be pain."
Rodeos: What causes the broncos to buck? A strap that causes genital pain. Roping.
Gambling: Dog and horse racing.
Fairground animals.
Hunting: Hunters kill more than 200,000 animals a year.
Fishing: Fish feel about the same degree of pain as humans. They too are sentient organisms.
Circuses: Long sequences of brutal footage. Why do circus animals behave as they do? Their owners want us to think it is because of rewards. No! It is because of pain inflicted and fear of punishment. Training is based on punishment and fear. Animals feel and none would choose captivity. Scenes of animals who escaped retaliating against their trainers.
Zoos: Are they educational? What do they teach? All the animals in them must be captured, caged, transported and trained to do what humans want.
Bull fighting.
Commercial exploitation of wildlife. They do not exist for our pleasure. We do not take seriously the interests of the animals. We use them.
5. SCIENCE
Vivisection: Inflicting suffering without anesthesia. Two possible erroneous conclusions can be drawn from results.
Medical experiments.
Military research on animals.
Conclusion: It all comes down to the pain and suffering that all animals experience. Antibiotics. Hormones. Pollution. What goes around comes around. We reap just what we sow.
We must change the way we treat animals and we must change our way of thinking about animals.
