Just Animals

dir. Vesa Kuosmanen, Saila Kivelä / 2022 / Finland / 82min.
Saila is an activist for animal rights. Her elder sister Mai has chosen a different path, politics, and Saila fears that Mai might become a part of the machinery they had been together fighting against

Saila is a committed activist for animal rights. Her elder sister Mai has been always Saila’s biggest idol but now that she has chosen a different path, politics, and Saila fears she might become a part of the machinery they had been together fighting.”We Are Animals” is a deeply personal story about growing up into activism and facing one’s limits. The film spans a decade-long follow-up material, Saila, and her sister Mai’s childhood home videos and secretly filmed footage from the animal industrial farms.

The filmmakers have very unique access within the animal rights movement, as well as the backstage of political decision-making. What kind of commitment does the struggle for animals requires – and will it ever be enough? What happens when the utopia does not come true as imagined and you are alone facing the legal consequences? How do you cope with the idealism you grew up into or with the realism that just crashes your sense of justice?

duration:
82 min
country / year of production:
Finland / 2022
director:
Vesa Kuosmanen, Saila Kivelä
cinematography:
Heini Mäntylä
producer:
Elli Toivoniemi, Venla Hellstedt, Juha Löppönen / Tuffi Films
selected festivals and awards:
2022 – CPH:DOX Copenhagen; 2022 – One World. International Human Rights Documentary FF; 2022 – Hot Docs Toronto
sections:
Climate for change – Visa recommends
competitions:
Green Warsaw Award Best Debut Award
tags:
ecology animal rights activism

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Other films in the competition Green Warsaw Award