Eleni Vlachos presented her anti-animal-abuse documentary Seeing Through the Fence in Bryan Jr. auditorium on Tuesday night.A pro-vegan film with a heavy nod toward the directorial stylings of Michael Moore, this documentary is humorous and thought provoking. Vlachos presents us with a visual parade of man on the street interviews interspersed with brutal factory farm footage overlaid with disturbing facts.
Her benign interrogation reveals the thinking of an eclectic mixture of people, from her meat-eating family members, to disgruntled former meat-plant workers, to staunch vegans. Vlachos provokes them to explore their relationship between the food we eat and the animals that provide that food.
She documents the often-contradictory responses of everyday people as they express their rights as superior beings to eat meat. The film introduces the viewer to “Mr. average middle-class guy, “who adheres to “the Judeo-Christian view that God gave us animals and he put us in charge.” We hear this same man later on in the documentary state that people should be punished for animal cruelty.
Vlachos casts her father as a representative of the un-enlightened meat-eating older generation. He embodies the mindset that feels no need to change and is firm in his stance of ‘why change something that has worked for us forever.”
However, the film is forgiving to its meat-eating subjects. Vlachos does not portray any of the individuals she interviews as ill willed or ignorant towards the plight of animal cruelty. They just don’t see the relationship between their dinner and its origin.yet.
The informed audience watching the film learns that government-subsidized farm factories are a far cry from the family farm of days gone past.
Cruel images of terrorized cows being slaughtered after spending their existence in a cramped pen are included in the film in hopes of enlightening the audience.
“This is the kind of movie I wish everyone would watch, because it can really make you think about the effects your diet has on the world,” said junior and Forevergreen treasurer AnneMarie Drolet.
On the surface, Seeing Through the Fence is a documentary making the connection between farm-animal abuses and personal food choices. But there is an emphasis on the technique she engages in order to make this correlation. This film is funny but never demeaning to the subject.
Vlachos has figured out that when people are relaxed they are better able to open up their minds to thoughts and feelings that are not necessarily their own.
“People react with anger when they feel their existence is under attack.” said Vlachos.
After the documentary, she asked the audience how many consider themselves activists. At least half earnestly pumped up their hand. Then she asked how many thought they were effective activists. Predictably, the response was fewer hands, accompanied by a few groans. Vlachos knows; she’s been there.
Vlachos is an activist who has realized that protest is often futile. Looking for a way to make people think is what drove her to make the film.
“People are much more willing to listen when someone comes at an issue from a non-confrontational approach, “said Forevergreen member Abigail Rogers.
Vlachos’ post-film discussion emphasized the positive impact of slight changes to one’s diet. Vlachos offered convincing facts showing that people would positively affect the environment, not to mention an animal’s life, by eating one less meat meal per week
The film’s sponsor, Forevergreen, is embracing a food theme this semester. It is a way to tie in members of the community who might not normally be interested in environmental issues.
“Everyone likes food!” said Rogers. “I think this film is a good fit for our theme because it is about getting people to think about and question their food choices, when many of us are not used to thinking about where our food comes from.