Many people become vegan after watching a vegan documentary or seeing a clip from one shared on social media. For many, this is the first time they have witnessed the horrors of the meat and dairy industry. When you grow up eating meat, you don’t spend much time thinking about where it comes from. The Old Macdonald’s farm ideology runs deep. Documentaries are a great way to question what you think you know and dig deep into important topics.
Key Takeaways
1. Earthlings
It might be almost 20 years old, but Earthlings still packs a punch when it comes to converting meat eaters to vegans. Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, Earthlings features hidden camera footage showing the reality for animals used for food, clothing, and entertainment. The film covers important topics such as factory farming, scientific research, and puppy mills, giving viewers a complete view of how society treats animals.
I watched the film soon after it came out as a brand-new vegan, still wet behind the ears. The footage I saw has stayed with me to this day. The way we treat animals is nothing short of abhorrent. Earthlings is the kind of documentary that persuades people to go vegan, blowing away their ignorance and forcing them to confront their role in animal suffering.
2. I Could Never Go Vegan
I Could Never Go Vegan was released earlier this year and follows filmmaker James Pickering’s journey to understand why people have such a problem with him being vegan. The documentary explores themes such as vegan athletes, animal cruelty, and the health benefits of going vegan. As a long-term vegan, I particularly loved the section on the environmental impact of a plant-based diet.
Pickering explores the many arguments he’s heard against a vegan lifestyle, proving time and time again that each is based on misinformation. Raised as a vegetarian, Pickering chats to his mum about her decision to raise him without meat and the reactions that garnered from friends and family. I Could Never Go Vegan is a thorough exploration of veganism, the vegan community, and why our choices matter.
The film features Paul Youd, an inspirational vegan in his 80s who credits his 20-year vegan diet with his health, energy, and enthusiasm for life. I loved hearing Youd talk about not letting his advanced age hold him back from adopting a vegan lifestyle in his 60s. Equally inspiring to me was Dr Alice Brough, who spoke candidly about pig farming and the part she played in the industry as a former pig vet.
3. Cowspiracy
Released in 2014, Cowspiracy is an award-winning film that investigates climate change, deforestation, water use, and the destruction of our oceans. Kim Anderson and Keegan Kuhn have worked together on several vegan documentaries, including What The Heath, Seaspiracy, and Cowspiracy. The duo uses their film-making abilities to raise awareness of and promote a vegan lifestyle.
Cowspiracy goes one step further than most climate documentaries by exploring environmental organizations and how they address the issue of how diet impacts the planet. For years, environmental charities ignored the impact of animal agriculture. Scared to lose money from meat-loving donors, they instead focused on side issues. Cowspiracy exposed this hypocrisy and forced veganism into the mainstream when it comes to the climate crisis.
4. Dominion
Is it even a vegan documentary if Joquin Phoenix isn’t involved? I don’t think so. Luckily, Joaquin Phoenix appears in this hard-hitting vegan documentary. This film should come with a warning, though: It is a hard watch. If you’re not in the right place to watch it, don’t. Using drone footage and hidden cameras, Dominion exposes the disturbing animal cruelty at the heart of animal agriculture.
Filmed in Australia, Dominion focuses on legal industry-wide practices that most meat-eaters are ignorant of. This film will open the eyes of any meat-eaters watching. It also focuses on the ethical questions surrounding how humans treat animals. If you’re ignorant about how the meat industry works, this film is a great starting place, but be warned—it will haunt your nightmares for years to come.
5. Eating Our Way To Extinction
Narrated by Kate Winslet, 2021’s Eating Our Way To Extinction focuses on the devastating environmental impact of the meat and dairy industries. One of the most frustrating things about being vegan is being surrounded by people who are still ignorant of the harm their diet is doing to animals and the planet. This film blows the lid off the meat and dairy industries, leaving viewers in no doubt that a plant-based diet is crucial for the planet.
The film explores animal agriculture’s impact on indigenous communities and the environmental impact of our food choices. Featuring leading scientists, climate experts, and globally renowned figures, Eating Our Way To Extinction uncovers hard truths about the state of the planet. While environmental documentaries can sometimes leave you feeling overwhelmed and numb, this one focuses on how individuals can make a difference with their everyday choices, highlighting the impact of a plant-based diet.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Vegan documentaries can be a great way to keep yourself passionate, informed, and motivated to make a difference for animals. Going to see a vegan documentary at your local cinema is the perfect excuse to make some new vegan friends.
That said, vegan documentaries can be tough to watch. While they don’t all feature animal suffering, many do, and that can be difficult to cope with when you care so deeply about animals. Go easy on yourself, and remember that you're already doing your bit for animals by living a vegan lifestyle.
If you do watch a documentary and love it, be sure to share your thoughts on social media. Creating a buzz around a film encourages other people to watch it. You never know; your Instagram post could mark the beginning of another person’s vegan journey.
Have you seen any of the films listed above? We’d love to hear what you thought in the comments. Be sure to tell us about any films we’ve missed off the list, too, as we’re always keen to hear new recommendations.