Going Plant-Based Vegan (Documentaries, Films, Movies, and Videos)
I love learning from people who are plant-based vegan and from those who are exploring all the reasons why one might want to go plant-based vegan. Especially since so many individuals care about their health, the climate, and about protecting the individuals we often harm. So I’ve compiled this list of documentary films, movies, and videos found online, including on Netflix, to make it easier to watch this topic—from the health perspective, the climate perspective, to the perspective of the individuals being killed and eaten. Listed by year, then alphabetically, the most recent films appear at the top of this page. Beautifully, these films motivate us to consider what is wisest for our health, for the climate, and for every individual we might otherwise harm. These films help us understand how we can live and love sustainably.
Eating Our Way To Extinction
Narrated by Academy Award winner Kate Winslet. | 2021
“Eating Our Way to Extinction takes audiences on a cinematic journey around the world, from the depths of the Amazon rainforests to the Taiwanese Mountains, the Mongolian desert, the US Dust Bowl, the Norwegian Fjords and the Scottish coastlines, telling the story of our planet through shocking testimonials, poignant accounts from indigenous people most affected by our ever-changing planet, globally renowned figures and leading scientists.
“This powerful documentary sends a simple but impactful message by uncovering hard truths and addressing, on the big screen, the most pressing issue of our generation – ecological collapse.
“Confronting and entertaining, this documentary allows audiences to question their everyday choices, industry leaders and governments. Featuring a wealth of world-renowned contributors, including Sir Richard Branson … it has a message of hope that will empower audiences.
”We have 10 years left to avoid catastrophic climate change … the solution to this and other existential threats is right under our nose.
”Although the window we have left seems intimidatingly small, we can all change the course of the climate disaster, the extinction crisis and several other 'civilization busters'. Avoiding animal products such as meat, fish, dairy and eggs, will have a profound impact towards a sustainable future for our planet.
”We all have the power to make an impact. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner – three chances to change the world for the better. Are you eating to extinction, or eating for tomorrow?”
Milked
Jane Goodall, Suzy Amis Cameron, Moby | 2021
“A young activist goes deep into dairy land where he takes on the giants of New Zealand’s most powerful industry, and reveals how the sacred cash-cow industry has been milked dry. His journey exposes not only the sustainability crisis and the dangerous denial of impending agricultural disruption, but also what New Zealand and other countries can do to change their fate.
”Milked is a topical feature documentary that exposes the whitewash of New Zealand’s multi-billion-dollar dairy industry.
”Young activist Chris Huriwai travels around the country searching for the truth about how this source of national pride has become the nation’s biggest threat. It’s rapidly gone from a land with no cows to being the biggest exporter of dairy in the world, but the industry seems to be failing in every way possible.
”Featuring interviews with high-profile contributors such as Dr Jane Goodall, environmentalist and former actress Suzy Amis Cameron, and Cowspiracy co-director, Keegan Kuhn, Milked reveals the behind-the-scenes reality of the kiwi dairy farming fairy-tale. It uncovers alarming information about the impacts of the industry on the environment and health, leading up to the discovery that we’re on the edge of the biggest global disruption of food and agriculture in history.
”An impactful global story told with a local eye, the film also points to what New Zealand and other countries can do to change their fate.”
Seaspiracy
Charting a journey across the world while uncovering the horrors of the fishing industry. | 2021
“The sea has given us so much joy and inspiration, and it was our dream to one day make a documentary about the wonders of marine life.
“But once we started filming and began to discover what was happening at sea, we knew the documentary needed to show this side of the story, that for so long has been mostly hidden from view.
“We witnessed horrific destruction, abuse, and corruption, and knew we had to expose how the global industrial fishing industries are killing our oceans, out of sight. We revealed a deafening silence over fishing’s role in emptying our seas, its decimation of habitat, and its role in affecting our climate.
“The fishing industry is by far the most destructive industry in our oceans. Here are just a few facts that we discovered while making Seaspiracy: The ocean are home for up to 80% of all life on earth. Fishing has wiped out 90% of the world’s large fish (1) $35 Billion in subsidies goes to the fishing industry worldwide [annually] - paying for bigger ships, more fuel, fishing licences, and the capture of even more marine life. (2) Approx. 300,000 dolphins, whales, and porpoises are killed by fishing operations every year (3). Fishing kills up to 30,000 sharks EVERY HOUR (4) … bycatch of at least … 500,000 sea turtles every year. Lost fishing gear is by far the deadliest form of marine plastic (5). Longline boats set enough fishing line in one day to wrap the earth 500x. 24,000 fisheries workers die on the job per year.”
Gunda
A film by Victor Kossakovsky, producer Anita Rehoff Larsen, and executive producer Joaquin Phoenix. | 2020
“Where his prior film, the acclaimed epic Aquarela, was a reminder of the fragility of human tenure on earth, in Gunda, master filmmaker Viktor Kossakovsky reminds us that we share our planet with billions of other animals.
“Through encounters with a mother sow (the eponymous Gunda), two ingenious cows, and a scene-stealing, one-legged chicken, Kossakovsky movingly recalibrates our moral universe, reminding us of the inherent value of life and the mystery of all animal consciousness, including our own.
”Gunda is a mesmerizing perspective on sentience within animal species, normally—and perhaps purposely—hidden from our view. Displays of pride and reverence, amusement and bliss at a pig’s inquisitive young; her panic, despair … in the face of cruel trickery, are validations of just how similarly all species react and cope with events in our respective lives.
“Victor Kossakovsky has crafted a visceral meditation on existence that transcends the normal barriers that separate species. It is a film of profound importance and artistry.”
73 Cows
2019 BAFTA winner for British Short Film and screened at European Parliament. | 2018
“73 Cows tells the story of Jay Wilde, the first farmer in the UK to trade beef farming for sustainable organic vegan farming, giving up his entire herd of cattle in the process.
“73 Cows won the BAFTA in 2019 for British Short Film. It premiered at Raindance Film Festival and was also screened at European Parliament before policy makers in a bid to inspire changes in agricultural law.
“73 Cows has been covered by news outlets across the world including The Times and The Guardian, as well as being featured on national TV News. For a no budget film, I'm really proud of what we achieved with this film.”
Dominion
Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Sia, Sadie Sink… | 2018
“Dominion is the feature-length documentary sequel to 2014's Lucent.
“Dominion uses drones, hidden and handheld cameras to expose the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture, questioning the morality and validity of humankind’s dominion over the animal kingdom.
“Dominion takes a … comprehensive account of the numerous ways animals are used and abused in Australia. By exploring six primary facets of our interaction with animals—Companion Animals, Wildlife, Scientific Research, Entertainment, Clothing and Food—the film questions the morality and validity of our dominion over the animal kingdom.
“Dominion was announced in October 2015 with a crowdfunding campaign which raised over $19000, and in December 2015 received a grant from animal protection institute Voiceless. A further crowdfunding campaign finished in January 2018.
“The Dominion Movement is a call to action for anyone who believes in the message of the film: that we as a species are capable of more.”
Eating You Alive
James Cameron, Suzi Amis Cameron, Dr. Michael Greger, Dr. Neal Barnard… | 2018
“30,000 Miles through sweltering heat, rain, snow, sleet, wind and dust storms, the Eating You Alive team traveled across the country capturing interviews with the most brilliant medical minds … talent … chefs … and transformed people from around the world.
“The purpose? To produce a film that informs and inspires as many as possible that our health, the health of our planet and the creatures we share it with, is within our power to change - one bite at a time.
“Half of all adults in the U.S. struggle with chronic health conditions including cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, obesity, hypertension, Alzheimer’s, arthritis and erectile dysfunction.
”Despite countless dollars spent on medical research, new drugs and innovative technology to improve our health, more Americans are disabled and dying from chronic disease than ever before.
”Featuring leading medical experts and researchers, Eating You Alive takes a scientific look at the reasons we’re so sick, who’s responsible for feeding us the wrong information and how we can use whole-food, plant-based nutrition to take control of our health—one bite at a time.”
Hope
Dr. Jane Goodall, Primatologist, UN Messenger of Peace; Dr. Vandana Shiva, Physicist, Scientific Adviser, Environmentalist; Dr. T. Colin Campbell | 2018
"Our meat consumption has quintupled over the past 50 years. 65 billion land animals are being slaughtered every year for food consumption. One third of the global grain production is fed to animals for fattening while 1.8 billion people worldwide suffer from hunger and starvation. Can there really be a solution to all these problems?
”It was the search for an answer to this question that led Austrian author and filmmaker Nina Messinger on a journey through Europe, India and the US to investigate the consequences of our diet. Meeting with leading experts in nutrition, medicine, science, and agriculture, as well as with farmers and people who have recovered from severe illnesses, simply by changing their eating habits.
“The film’s deeply distressing images and moving stories make a clear case for a plant-based diet that is not just a short-lived lifestyle trend but provides a solution for preserving our entire world. The movie serves up a stunningly simple, yet comprehensive solution—right on our plates.
“Changing our eating habits will rebalance not just our health, but the planet itself.
”Hope is a life-changing documentary uncovering and revealing the effects of our typical Western diet high in animal-based foods … the limited interests of the pharmaceutical and agricultural industry … the all-encompassing interests of living beings on this planet … with the power of responsible consumer action.
“Hope is an urgent call to action to all of us to commit to a change towards sustainability and safeguarding our living environment.”
The Game Changers
James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jackie Chan, Lewis Hamilton, and Chris Paul—a revolutionary new film about meat, protein, and strength. | 2018
“The Game Changers tells the story of James Wilks—elite Special Forces trainer and The Ultimate Fighter winner—as he travels the world on a quest to uncover the optimal diet for human performance.
“Showcasing elite athletes, special ops soldiers, visionary scientists, cultural icons, and everyday heroes, what James discovers permanently changes his understanding of food and his definition of true strength.
“As a combatives instructor for the US military (including the US Marines, US Army Rangers, and US Navy SEALs), as well as a former UFC fighter, I see the human body as a powerful machine with the potential for excellence in many areas, including strength, speed, stamina, and recovery. Until I got badly injured while training, I never thought this potential had much to do with food, which I saw mainly as just calories and protein.
”But, unable to train for six months after my injury, I started researching the optimal diet for recovery and stumbled across a study about the Roman gladiators which concluded that they ate little or no meat. This seemed really far-fetched to me since I was confident that animal protein was necessary to build muscle, sustain energy levels, and recover from injury. So I flew to Austria to meet the researchers who made this discovery and left convinced that the gladiators—known at the time as Hordearii, or ‘the Barley Men’—really did train and compete on a plant-based diet.
”This shocking discovery launched me on a five-year quest for the Truth in Nutrition, modeled after Bruce Lee's Truth in Combat philosophy: "Research your own experience, absorb what is useful, reject what is useless, add what is specifically your own.” Beginning with this mindset, I put every preconception I had about nutrition to the test, traveling to four continents to meet with dozens of the world’s strongest, fastest, and toughest athletes, as well as leading experts on athletics, nutrition, and anthropology.
“What I discovered was so revolutionary, with such profound implications for human performance and health — and even the future of the planet itself — that I had to share it with the world.”
Eating Animals
Produced and Narrated by Natalie Portman. Environmental Media Association Documentary Award Winner. | 2017
“Nearly all of the meat, eggs, and dairy we eat comes from the industrial system known as ‘factory farming.’ This system destroys our environment and harms public health, and never before has humankind caused more suffering.
“Based on the bestselling book by Jonathan Safran Foer, narrated by producer Natalie Portman, and directed and produced by Christopher Quinn (God Grew Tired of Us), Eating Animals spotlights the heroic farmers, whistleblowers, and innovators who are standing up, against all odds, to fight this system and provide a new way forward.”
Land of Hope and Glory
The hidden truth behind UK animal farming. | 2017
“A film called Earthlings became the most pivotal documentary of the animal rights movement. Here in the UK however, we found the phrase ‘that doesn't happen in our country’ coming up far too much.
“We wanted to set the record straight.
“Through Land of Hope and Glory, we aim to show the truth behind UK land animal farming by featuring the most up to date investigations as well as never before seen undercover footage with … approximately 100 UK facilities featured throughout the film.”
The End of Meat
A documentary about the vision of a future where meat consumption is a thing of the past. | 2017
“In Germany, the land of bratwurst and schnitzel, meat ends up on the plate every day. But a few years ago, doubts were raised. ‘Meat scandals’ and ethical concerns led to a public debate about the morality of meat consumption and the popularization of meat-free diets.
“Big meat companies started to produce plant-based meat and sausages, vegan supermarkets opened and vegan products were in demand like never before. Could this be the beginning of the end of the flesh? Is the human-animal relationship about to change?
“In The End of Meat, filmmaker Marc Pierschel dares to look into a future without meat and its impact on the environment, animals and ourselves.
“He meets Esther, a domestic pig who has completely turned the lives of two Canadians upside down, talks to the Pioneers of the vegan revolution in Germany, visit the first vegetarian city in India, meet rescued ‘farm animals’ in freedom, meet scientists who research animal-free meat, which is supposed to revolutionize the 600 billion global meat market and much more.
“The documentary impressively reveals the hidden effects of meat consumption, examines the benefits of a plant-based diet and raises critical questions about the future role of animals in our society.”
The Milk System
Farmers, scientists, and industry insiders delve into the hidden costs and consequences of global dairy production and offer up possible solutions. | 2017
“There's one thing milk stands for—health. It's seen as natural and nutrient-rich. Which is exactly what makes it so attractive for the market.
“But is it really that healthy?
“We set out to take a critical look at the milk system. Along the way we'll meet farmers, dairy owners, politicians, lobbyists, NGOs, scientists. Each has their own views on the value and consequences of an industry with world-wide impact.
“Whether in Europe, Asia or Africa, milk is the allegorical model of streamlined-for-growth global food production and its consequences.
“The film uncovers surprising truths behind the system. Who profits at whose cost? Does the system have a future and are there alternatives?
“A journey across continents (Europe, Africa and China) that deals with preconceptions and brings solutions to light.”
What the Health
The groundbreaking follow-up film from the creators of the award-winning documentary Cowspiracy. | 2017
“With the help of medical doctors, researchers, and consumer advocates, What the Health exposes the collusion and corruption in government and big business that is costing us trillions of healthcare dollars, and keeping us sick.
”Join Kip as he tracks down the leading and most trusted American health nonprofits to find out why these groups are staying silent, despite a growing body of evidence.
“Audiences will be shocked to learn the insidious roles played by pharmaceutical companies, agribusiness, and processed animal food companies in the nation’s health, especially in the most vulnerable communities, and will cheer at the transformation and recovery of those who took their lives into their own hands.
”What The Health is a surprising, and at times hilarious, investigative documentary that will be an eye-opener for everyone concerned about our nation’s health and how big business influences it.”
184 Defending Whales in Iceland
Marc Pierschel, Arne Feuerhahn, Boris Niehaus, Anja Laabs, Sigursteinn Másson, Rannveig Grétarsdóttir, Chiara Giulia Bertulli, Megan Whittaker | 2016
“In the summer of 2015, I accompanied the Hard to Port activists with my camera in Iceland for two weeks.
“Hard To Port is a Berlin animal rights association that has been campaigning against the commercial killing of whales in Iceland since 2014.
“Iceland is one of the few nations in the world that still allows commercial hunting of large marine mammals. In doing so, the Icelandic government is disregarding an existing global whaling moratorium that was passed in 1982 and came into force four years later.
“Despite a steadily growing whale watching industry that attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists to the country every year, the brutal hunt for minke and fin whales is part of everyday business every summer.
“Information about whaling is deliberately withheld or censored in Iceland.
“The brutal hunt for the marine mammals takes place far off the Icelandic coast, where it can escape critical assessment by the Icelandic population.
“Hardly any video footage of the brutal hunt exists and is not made available to the public.
“Arne Feuerhahn and the Hard To Port team want to close this gap and educate the Icelandic population about the cruel killing practice and the suffering of these animals.”
Plant-Pure Nation
Steve Forbes, Jr. (Editor-in-Chief Forbes Magazine), Dr. T. Colin Campbell (Co-Author, The China Study), Dr. Neal Barnard (Founder and President, Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine), Dr. Michael Greger (Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture, Humane Society of the United States) | 2015
"In his groundbreaking … book, The China Study, and in the … popular documentary film Forks Over Knives, Dr. Campbell detailed the weight of scientific evidence that a whole foods plant-based diet can prevent and even reverse some of the most deadly health conditions such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.
“But as more doctors and public officials become aware of the healing power of plant-based nutrition the question arises … why don’t they share the information with their patients or the public?
“On November 15th 2011, doctors T. Colin Campbell and Caldwell Esselstyn presented their research on the benefits of plant-based nutrition to the Kentucky State legislature. The house members were enthusiastic.
“With one of the highest levels of childhood obesity in the nation, Kentucky also suffers from high rates of heart attacks, strokes, and diabetes.
“Soon after Campbell’s and Esselstyn’s presentation, Rep. Tom Riner introduced a bill to establish a pilot program that would document the health benefits of a plant-based diet.
“But once the bill went into committee, industry lobbyists launched one of the most intensive lobby efforts ever in Kentucky. As the bill’s sponsor Rep. Riner put it, the bill was watered down to ‘a shadow of its former self,’ turned ‘from steel to Reynolds Wrap.’
”A top-down approach that recognized the powerful healing effects of plant-based nutrition had failed again. But Nelson Campbell suspected there was another way to prove the merits of this idea. After the setback in Kentucky, he resolved to put his hunch to the test in his own North Carolina hometown of Mebane (population 11,562). He also took a documentary film crew with him.
”Nelson hoped to demonstrate that a whole foods plant-based diet would lead to significant and measurable health improvements in just 10 days. He also wanted to demonstrate that such a diet would be easy to follow and indefinitely sustainable.
”Using an approach consistent with the mainstream values of his hometown, he started small, offering ten-day ‘jumpstarts,’ using freshly prepared plant-based meals and before and after biometric testing.
”How would these rural people, many of whom were raised on southern comfort foods such as meat, potatoes, biscuits and gravy, handle a plant-based diet? Would they lose weight and get healthier? Would their families and friends accept their diet and lifestyle change? Could this be the spark of something even bigger?”
Cowspiracy
A groundbreaking feature-length environmental documentary following … filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the most destructive industry facing the planet … and why the world’s leading environmental organizations are too afraid to talk about it. | 2014
“Animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution, is responsible for more greenhouse gases than the transportation industry, and is a primary driver of rainforest destruction, species extinction, habitat loss, topsoil erosion, ocean ‘dead zones,’ and virtually every other environmental ill. Yet it goes on, almost entirely unchallenged.
”As Andersen approaches leaders in the environmental movement, he increasingly uncovers what appears to be an intentional refusal to discuss the issue of animal agriculture, while industry whistleblowers and watchdogs warn him of the risks to his freedom and even his life if he dares to persist.
”As eye-opening as Blackfish … this shocking yet humorous documentary reveals the absolutely devastating environmental impact large-scale factory farming has on our planet, and offers a path to global sustainability for a growing population.”
Lucent
Narrated by Lindsay McDougall (The Doctor from Triple J) | 2014
“Through a combination of hand-held and hidden camera footage, Lucent explores the darker side of Australia's pig farming industry, highlighting the day-to-day cruelty accepted by the industry as standard practice.
”Lucent is the result of a successful crowdfunding campaign initiated in late 2013. Narrated by Lindsay McDougall (The Doctor from Triple J), the film contains footage from over 50 farms and slaughterhouses across Australia - much of this footage has never been seen before.”
Blackfish
Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Produced by Manny Oteyza | 2013
“Blackfish tells the story of Tilikum, a performing killer whale that killed several people while in captivity.
“Along the way, director-producer Gabriela Cowperthwaite compiles shocking footage and emotional interviews to explore the creature’s extraordinary nature, the species’ cruel treatment in captivity, the lives and losses of the trainers and the pressures brought to bear by the multi-billion dollar sea-park industry.
“This emotionally wrenching, tautly structured story challenges us to consider our relationship to nature and reveals how little we humans have learned from these highly intelligent and enormously sentient fellow mammals.”
Live and Let Live
Peter Singer, Tom Regan, Gary Francione, T. Colin Campbell, Jonathan Balcombe, Melanie Joy, and many others… | 2013
“A documentary about our relationship with animals, the history of veganism and the ethical, ecological and health reasons that motivate people to live vegan.
“Food scandals, climate change, lifestyle diseases and increasing ethical concerns are causing more and more people to doubt whether it is right to eat animals.
“From butcher to vegan chef, from dairy farmer to founder of the first ‘Kuhaltersheim’—Live and Let Live tells the stories of six people who, for different reasons, decided not to eat any animal products and shows how this decision changed their lives has.
“Jan Gerdes and Karin Mück transformed a farm in northern Germany, on which Jan operated intensive livestock farming of ‘dairy cows’ into a ‘living farm’ for animals, which offers a new home to cows, horses, pigs and many other animals that have often been saved from certain death.
“Ria Rehberg and Hendrik Haßel free chickens from a free-range facility at night in order to document the circumstances under which they are kept and thus initiate a public debate.
“Aaron Adams, a chef from Portland, USA, who butchered rabbits himself and offered foie gras in his restaurant, one day could no longer reconcile this with his conscience and shortly afterwards opened an Italian restaurant—completely vegan.
“Jack Lindquist, a professional track cyclist training for the 2016 Rio Olympics, found that eating a plant-based diet could improve his performance.
“Live and Let Live sheds light on the development of the vegan movement. From its origins in London in 1944 to a lifestyle that is gaining more and more followers around the world, who are realizing that what ends up on their plates not only has an impact on animals and the environment, but also on their own health.”
Uprooting the Leading Causes of Death
Dr. Michael Greger | 2012
“Death in America is largely a foodborne illness.
“Focusing on studies published just over the last year in peer-reviewed scientific medical journals, Dr. Greger offers practical advice on how best to feed ourselves and our families to prevent, treat, and even reverse many of the top 15 killers in the United States.”
Forks Over Knives
Dr. T. Colin Campbell, Dr. Caldwell Eselstyn | 2011
“The major storyline traces the personal journeys of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional biochemist from Cornell University, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic.
“On separate paths, their discoveries and groundbreaking research led them to the same startling conclusion: Chronic diseases including heart disease and type 2 diabetes can almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole-food, plant-based diet.
“The idea of food as medicine is put to the test. The film follows everyday Americans with chronic conditions as they seek to reduce their dependence on medications and learn to use a whole-food, plant-based diet to regain control over their health and their lives.”
Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home
Best Feature Documentary, Best Feature Audience Award, Best of Fest Audience Award, Grand Jury Prize, | 2009
“A riveting story of transformation and healing, Peaceable Kingdom explores the awakening conscience of several people who grew up in traditional farming culture and who have now come to question the basic assumptions of their way of life.
“Presented through a woven tapestry of memories, music, and breathtaking accounts of life-altering moments, the film provides insight into the farmers' sometimes amazing connections with the animals under their care, while also making clear the complex web of social, psychological and economic forces that have led them to their present dilemma.
“Growing up on a Michigan beef farm, Harold Brown instinctively felt that the animals his family were raising for food were not so different than his pet dog or cat. While he noticed that other farm kids struggled with this, like them, he did as he was told and set his feelings aside. ‘The last thing you ever want to be is weak,’ recalls Harold. ‘Weak farmers don't survive.’
”Later in life, a remarkable encounter with a rescued steer at a sanctuary opens the door to Harold's past, launching him on a life-changing quest to reintegrate the parts of himself that were fragmented as a child. With striking honesty and emotional courage, Harold attempts to come to terms with the violence he both witnessed and participated in as a routine part of life on the farm.
“Harold's quest for healing leads him to connect with other former farmers, and to forge a new path that integrates his love and knowledge of animals with his vision for a more peaceful world. ‘To follow that vision, that dream,’ says Harold, ‘It's really a joyous thing. It's going home.’”
Earthlings
Joaquin Phoenix, Moby | 2005
“Earthlings is a … documentary film about humankind's total dependence on animals for economic purposes. Presented in five chapters (pets, food, clothing, entertainment and scientific research) the film is narrated by Joaquin Phoenix, featuring music by Moby, and was written, produced and directed by Shaun Monson.”