Earthlings (film) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Earthlings |
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Festival poster
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| Directed by | Shaun Monson |
| Produced by | Libra Max Brett Harrelson Maggie Q Persia White |
| Narrated by | Joaquin Phoenix |
| Music by | Moby Libra Max Brian Carter Natalie Merchant Gabriel Mounsey Barry Wood |
| Cinematography | Mark M. Rissi |
| Editing by | Shaun Monson |
| Distributed by | Nation Earth |
| Release date(s) | September 24, 2005 |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Earthlings is a powerful documentary film from 2005. It explores how humans use other animals in different ways. The film looks at animals used as pets, for food, for clothing, for entertainment, and for scientific research. Famous actor Joaquin Phoenix narrates the film. The music was created by Moby. Shaun Monson directed "Earthlings." A follow-up film called Unity was released in 2015.
Contents
What "Earthlings" is About
"Earthlings" shows what happens inside big industries that use animals. It covers places like factory farms, pet stores, and puppy mills. The film also looks at animal experimentation. It uses hidden cameras to show the daily activities in these places. The movie then compares how we treat animals to other unfair treatments, like racism or sexism. This idea is called speciesism. It means treating someone unfairly just because they belong to a different species.
How the Film Was Made
The idea for "Earthlings" began in 1999. The writer, director, and producer, Shaun Monson, first filmed at animal shelters. These shelters were located around Los Angeles. Monson originally planned to use the footage for public service announcements. These PSAs would encourage people to spay and neuter their pets. However, what he saw deeply affected him. He decided to turn his footage into a full documentary film. It took six more years to finish the film. This was because it was very hard to get footage from inside these industries.
Promoting the Film
Joaquin Phoenix spoke about the documentary. He said, "Of all the films I have ever made, this is the one that gets people talking the most." He added that for every person who sees "Earthlings," they will tell three others. Animal rights philosopher Tom Regan also commented on the film. He said, "For those who watch Earthlings, the world will never be the same."
Awards and Recognition
In 2005, "Earthlings" was shown for the first time at film festivals.
- At the Artivist Film Festival, it won Best Documentary Feature.
- At the Boston International Film Festival, it won the Best Content Award.
- At the San Diego Film Festival, it won Best Documentary Film.
- Joaquin Phoenix also received the Humanitarian Award at the San Diego Film Festival for his work on the film.
The Film and a Real-Life Event
On July 21, 2020, an unusual event happened in Lutsk, Ukraine. A person took a bus with 13 people on board. One of their demands was that the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, recommend "Earthlings." Within a few hours, President Zelensky did as asked. He posted a video on Facebook saying, "Everyone should watch the 2005 film Earthlings." After this, three people were released from the bus. Later, the situation ended peacefully. The person was arrested, and the other 10 people were released safely. President Zelensky's video was then removed.
The next day, Shaun Monson, the director of "Earthlings," responded to the event. He stated that "Earthlings" does not support or approve of violent actions. He explained that the film's message is about kindness to all living things. He also expressed sympathy for everyone involved and the authorities who helped keep everyone safe.
See also
In Spanish: Earthlings para niños
