The Ghosts in our Machine (2013) achieves the impossible task of opening our eyes to our shameful treatment of other sentient animals, while reminding us (through the leading character, photographer Jo-Anne McArthur) of the astonishing goodness humans are capable of.
Being ashamed of humanity is the appropriate reaction when confronted with the unspeakable sufferings we force animals to endure: technology allows us to chain, cage, mutilate, and kill animals for every imaginable purpose (to please our palates, to sleep on feather pillows or even for the sake of pure curiosity).
Of all the self-serving excuses we use to rationalize our violence towards other vulnerable animals, the worst is probably the idea that these are “necessary evils”, because none of them are really necessary.
We can build another world if we all stand up to refuse violence towards animals, stop encouraging the industries which exploit animals and ask for political and legislative reforms to protect animals from our greed and ignorance.
Pictures the opening at Cinema du Parc:
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Montreal Premiere Sunday September 29th to Thursday October 3rd 7:15 Cinéma du Parc
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Special Guests Q&A:
•Sunday September 29th – Director/Producer Liz Marshall and Special Guest Alanna Devine, CSPCA Director of Animal Advocacy.
•Monday September 30th – Director/Producer Liz Marshall and Photographer/Protagonist Jo-Anne McArthur.
•Tuesday October 1st – Photographer/Protagonist Jo-Anne McArthur and Special Guest Alanna Devine, CSPCA Director of Animal Advocacy.
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THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE (is an award-winning documentary) illuminates the lives of individual animals living within and rescued from the machine of our modern world. Through the heart and photographic lens of acclaimed animal photographer Jo-Anne McArthur, we become intimately familiar with a cast of non-human animals.
The film follows McArthur over the course of a year as she photographs several animal stories in Canada, the U.S. and Europe. Each story is a window into global animal industries: Food, Fashion, Entertainment and Research. All part of an epic photo project, We Animals (www.weanimals.org), now in its 15th year and shot all over the globe, McArthur has documented the lives of animals with heart-breaking empathy and professionalism.
Are non-human beings property to be owned and used, or are they sentient beings deserving of rights?
“Engaging, heart-warming and touching, The Ghosts in our Machine does a solid job at documenting and capturing the many animal loves of McArthur and her camera. The film can appeal to both the militant animal rights activist and simple cinema lovers alike”
-KIRK HAVILAND, EXAMINER.COM
“Liz Marshall’s compelling portrait of photographer Jo-Anne McArthur, whose mission is to document the invisible war on animals, bears powerful witness to the appalling conditions to which humans consign our fellow creatures… a superb example of committed filmmaking.”
– SUSAN G. COLE, NOW MAGAZINE
“After watching the film, there is no way you will look or think about animals the same way again.”
-MELISSA SILVERSTEIN, INDIEWIRE
For a thoughtful review : “Do You See The Ghosts?: Animal Advocacy and the Politics of Sight”
Info : http://www.theghostsinourmachine.com/