See the Winning Films and Photographs from this year’s International Vegan Film Festival
The annual festival goes virtual this year, as the winners for Best Film and Best Photo are revealed.
Former dairy farmer Jan Gerdes and animal rights activist Karin Mück standing at the Hof Butenland farm. The pair’s story is the focus of the winning film. Credit: Butenland
A film celebrating the lives of rescued farm animals is the winner of Best Overall Film at this year’s International Vegan Film Festival (IVFF).
The winning film Butenland, directed by Marc Piershel, tells the story of the German farm, Hof Butenland, run by former dairy farmer Jan Gerdes and animal rights activist Karin Mück. There is no ‘livestock’ at Hof Butenland, just rescued farmed animals who now enjoy a peaceful coexistence that seems almost utopian.
Filmmaker Pierschel followed the farm’s founders for more than two years with his camera. The intimate portrait captures moments of happiness and sadness, and questions the current status of farm animals in our society.
"Butenland is a rare film that displays through stunning cinematography and storytelling the journey of two individuals, a dairy farmer and an animal rights activist, who form a deep connection through their individual relationship with animals”, commented festival judge Miyoko Schinner. “Their compelling journey becomes the journey of the viewer, who by the end, will no doubt embrace the same conclusion: that even cows deserve life, love, and happiness."
You can watch the trailer for Butenland via YouTube here, or rent/buy the full feature here.
Meanwhile the winner of the Best Lifestyle Film went to Regan Russell - A Short Documentary, a Canadian short film directed by Varun Virlan. The 32-minute piece tells the story of Regan Russell, the 65-year-old activist who was tragically killed this year whilst protesting at Fearmans slaughterhouse in Burlington, Ontario. You can watch the full film for free via YouTube here.
Finally, the Best Environmental Protection Film award was given to 'Monbiot. Arresting the Truth', directed by UK filmmaker Alex Lockwood in collaboration with We Animals Media. The film follows British journalist, George Monbiot, as he sets out to deliberately get arrested to draw attention to government inaction over climate change. Watch the full film for free via We Animals Media here.
The IVFF also celebrated photography through its annual photo essay competition. This year’s overall winner was UK photographer Amy Jones, for her essay “Next In Line”, which highlights the emotional violence that farmed animals face. In each image, an animal is seen witnessing the death of another individual, likely with the understanding that they themselves are ‘next in line’.
'Next In Line' | Amy Jones
And Stefano Belacchi’s essay documenting Australia’s duck shooting won the Lifestyle category, whilst Selene Magnolia’s visuals of fish caught by fishing boats in and around the Mediterranean Sea, won the Environmental Protection Category.
'Ban Duck Shooting!' | Stefano Belacchi:
'Aquaculture & Fishing In the Mediterranean' | Selene Magnolia:
You can view all of the photo essays here.
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Species Unite
A collection of stories of those who fight the good fight on behalf of animals.
The footage was reportedly recorded at Marshall BioResources in North Rose, New York, where up to 22,000 dogs - mostly beagles - are being bred for animal experimentation.