Join us for a special Q&A with acclaimed Australian broadcaster Tony Jones following a screening of his directorial debut, Sentient, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year.
Step behind the locked doors of one of America’s largest primate research facilities in this powerful documentary exploring the hidden world of laboratory animal research. With unprecedented access to the University of Washington’s renowned primate centre, Sentient reveals the complex emotional realities faced by the scientists and carers who devote their lives to animals they are ultimately required to euthanise, many grappling with what has become known as the “care-kill complex”.
At the heart of the film is Dr Lisa Jones Engel, one of the world’s leading primatologists, whose decades studying chimpanzees and monkeys led to a profound change of heart about her life’s work. Alongside extraordinary undercover footage from drug testing laboratories, her story offers a deeply personal lens into a global industry that uses tens of thousands of monkeys in research each year.
Moving, compassionate and deeply thought-provoking, Sentient is ultimately a meditation on the connections between humans and the animals we use for research. Challenging audiences to confront difficult ethical questions, the film asks: can we still justify harming animals and ourselves in the name of science?
EVENT DETAILS:
Palace Electric Canberra
Tuesday, 18 August | Q&A with Tony Jones following the screening
Palace James St
Friday, 21 August | Q&A with Tony Jones following the screening
PRICING:
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