Dominion (2018 film)
| Dominion | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Chris Delforce |
| Written by | Chris Delforce |
| Produced by | Chris Delforce, Matthew Lynch, Farm Transparency Project |
| Narrated by | Joaquin Phoenix Rooney Mara Sadie Sink Sia Kat Von D |
| Edited by | Chris Delforce |
| Music by | Asher Pope |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Dominion is a 2018 Australian documentary film filmed primarily with drones and hidden cameras inside Australian slaughterhouses and macro-farms with the aim to expose an opaque and inhumane system, according to the film's writer, director, and producer, Chris Delforce, an animal rights activist.[1] The film documents multiple animal abuse industries in Australia, especially agricultural livestock, while focusing its message on animal rights.[2][3][4] Dominion portrays the killing of animals through methods such as using carbon dioxide to gas pigs, maceration of chicks, and skinning foxes alive.[5][3][6]
Production
Dominion was managed by the animal protection and animal rights organisation, Farm Transparency Project, previously known as Aussie Farms.[3] The film was funded through crowdfunding campaigns and the Australian animal rights organisation Voiceless.[3] It features narration by the famous actors Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara and Sadie Sink, as well as the singer Sia.[7] It premiered in Melbourne on 29 March 2018.[8] It was filmed to be a feature-length documentary sequel to Lucent (2014), which mostly focused on the Australian pig farming industry.[9]
Reception
Following its release, Dominion received the award for Best Documentary Feature at the 2018 Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival, and Delforce won Best Director at the Festigious International Film Festival.[3] Dominion has been used as a focal point for vegan protest groups, who encourage others to watch the documentary.[5]
Criticism
Australian farmers have been critical of the film, seeing it as an "attack on Australian farming".[1] The Australian Meat Industry Council Chief Executive, Patrick Hutchinson, has said, "What the film shows is not representative of the practices of the wider industry",[9] while Fiona Simson, president of the National Farmers' Federation, recognised that there was "room for improvement" by industry to improve animal welfare practices.[9]
See also
References
- ^ a b Albeck-Ripka, Livia (10 April 2019). "Protests in Australia Pit Vegans Against Farmers". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
- ^ Alonso-Recarte, Claudia (20 January 2022). "Tiger King and the Exegesis of COVID-19 Media Coverage of Nonhuman Animals". Journalism and Media. 3 (1): 99–114. doi:10.3390/journalmedia3010008.
There are also documentaries such as Earthlings (Monson 2005) and Dominion (Delforce 2018) that construct their shock tactics with the accumulation of footage of wanton cruelty and abuse in a number of industries (food, clothing, entertainment, tourism, the pharmaceutical and medical research industries, etc.).
- ^ a b c d e "What is the 'Dominion' documentary vegan protesters are promoting?". www.9news.com.au. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
- ^ von Mossner, Alexa Weik (2021). "Feeling Bad? Veganism, Climate Change, and the Rhetoric of Cowspiracy". Veg(etari)an Arguments in Culture, History, and Practice. The Palgrave Macmillan Animal Ethics Series. Palgrave Macmillan. p. 248. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-53280-2_10. ISBN 978-3-030-53282-6. S2CID 236717428.
- ^ a b Cuthbertson, Debbie (12 April 2019). "Vegan protests: Flash in the pan or seismic social shift?". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ "Pork industry hits back at slaughter process criticism after 'distressing' footage of gassing made public". ABC News. 28 March 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
- ^ Pritchett, Liam (30 August 2019). "The Scariest Movie Ever Made Is a Vegan Documentary". LiveKindly.co. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- ^ Ettinger, Jill (26 March 2018). "Vegan Documentary 'Dominion' Starring Joaquin Phoenix Holds Sold-Out World Premiere This Week". Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 12 February 2020.
- ^ a b c Mitchell, Joely (4 April 2018). "Industry braces for documentary backlash". Queensland Country Life. Archived from the original on 8 August 2019. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
