Joaquin Phoenix, fresh from his Oscar win, is an ambassador for Animal Equality and recently took part in a demonstration in London in defence of animal rights. An editorial by the founder of Animal Equality Italia.
By Matteo Cupi, founder of Animal Equality Italia
"We are so disconnected from nature, with an egocentric point of view, that we feel free to plunder its resources. We commit crimes against animals. We are afraid of the idea of change, but we should simply use love and compassion as guiding principles."
It is with these powerful words that Joaquin Phoenix accepted the Oscar for his masterful performance in Joker, a film that pushed him to his limits and in which he demonstrated the full depth of his immense artistic sensitivity. But when it comes to sensitivity, we cannot help but think of everything this actor, activist and human being is doing for the environment, for animals and for our health.
Thanks to this film, he has won everything there was to win, achieving a new and unprecedented level of visibility across traditional media and social media, and finally carving out an important space to give voice to what matters most to him: the fate of animals raised for food and that of our planet — two elements that are closely linked and almost inseparable. For a better future, we cannot turn a blind eye to what happens every day behind the closed doors of slaughterhouses and farms, places where animals live through hell on earth and which are destroying the planet through the pollution and the environmental and health impact they have on water, land and air.
That is why, just a few days ago, Joaquin Phoenix decided to join Animal Equality on Tower Bridge in London for a protest action aimed at drawing attention to the damage that factory farming causes to animals and the environment.
We flew to London for this important peaceful protest and, together with Joaquin and our international colleagues, we hung a 36-square-metre banner on Tower Bridge, one of the most recognisable and important landmarks in the English capital, which read: "Factory farming is destroying our planet. Choose vegan."
With immense generosity and willingness, Joaquin personally handed out leaflets, stopping passers-by to invite them to reflect on these issues and to consider a plant-based diet.
"Watching the humility and enthusiasm with which Joaquin approached, one by one, dozens of incredulous and awestruck passers-by was a joyful, almost surreal experience. A defining moment, which once again highlighted the moral calibre of a man who has never yielded to the allure of fame and who does not shrink from new challenges in the pursuit of his ideals. At Animal Equality, we are proud to have Joaquin Phoenix as an ally in this righteous, necessary and more urgent than ever battle," said Alice Trombetta, general manager of Animal Equality Italia. Joaquin Phoenix also made some very eloquent and important statements, speaking directly with Animal Equality.
"I think we have a personal responsibility to act, right now, and one way to mitigate climate change is to regulate our consumption and choose a plant-based diet," he said. "Sometimes I feel that not enough is being said about all of this. So I just want to encourage people to learn more about how to eat plant-based and how to make a difference and have an impact on this very real climate emergency."
And he added: "When you witness the horror that is really happening behind the closed doors of slaughterhouses and farms all over the world, it is impossible not to be affected by it and to realise that we need to do something drastic to stop all of this. So I'm just doing my part and trying to amplify the voice of these activists who act every day, taking action, moving against all of this. The least I can do is take some time off today and come here to talk about this issue."
During the action, Joaquin and all the Animal Equality activists held placards showing the suffering of animals on factory farms, as well as the devastating impact of this system on the environment and the climate. It was a very moving moment for all the activists who joined Joaquin and the founders of Animal Equality to publicly show everyone the importance of commitment to animals and the environment.
"Tower Bridge was transformed into an act of hope. Being there was an indescribable experience that I will remember for the rest of my life," says Carolina Bertolaso, head of campaigns for Animal Equality in Italy, who took part in the action with Joaquin Phoenix in person. "The message we sent to the world is as simple as it is important: the suffering of billions of animals on factory farms can no longer be ignored. It is now clear to everyone that their misery is directly connected to our very own survival. If we continue to remain unmoved in perpetuating this madness, we too will pay the consequences. The power to change things lies in our hands, and the time to act is now. Change must happen, and I could not be prouder to have been part of this moment, because deep down I know for certain that yesterday, in London, we made history."
Carolina's words describe very well the powerful, intense feelings that all of us experienced that day — feelings we will not easily forget — aware that we made a small piece of movement history by continuing the work of raising awareness of these important issues among the wider public.
But this was not the first time that Animal Equality decided to involve artists and influencers in its campaigns. Joaquin Phoenix was already familiar with Animal Equality's work, and it was precisely for this reason that he decided to call on us for the London action. Just a few months earlier, in fact, we carried out a lengthy investigation alongside his partner, the award-winning actress Rooney Mara, who showed incredible sensitivity in choosing to enter several farms together with our investigators.
The investigation took her inside a farm housing more than three thousand sows in cages and a farm with more than 50,000 chickens crammed on top of one another in conditions of extreme suffering. According to data collected at the chicken farm we visited with Rooney Mara, 1,936 animals died in the first seven weeks of life, at an average of 42 chickens per day.
"Nothing prepares you to look into the eyes of a sow whose entire life consists of being continuously and artificially impregnated and remaining locked in a cage until she is sent to slaughter," Rooney Mara declared after the investigation.
"I kept thinking about my sister, who has just had a baby, and how beautiful that immediate desire to feed and protect your child is. I can't imagine how terrible it must be to literally live trapped and to involuntarily crush your own young, unable to do anything about it."
The footage we shot with Rooney once again showed millions of people around the world the suffering of animals confined in these places, and thanks to the dedication and generosity of people like Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix we have the opportunity to amplify our message and reach as many people as possible.
The agri-food industry makes a decisive contribution to water and air pollution and to deforestation, as well as causing immense suffering to animals confined in slaughterhouses and farms. At the same time, intensive livestock farming accounts for more than 15 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, according to the Fao.
Our choices are the foundation on which we can build a better future, free from all of this, and together with generous people like Rooney Mara and Joaquin Phoenix we will continue to carry this fundamental and indispensable message: we must show compassion for the animals exploited by the food industry, using every means at our disposal. We can choose a vegan diet to reduce our impact on the planet, spread information and knowledge, and talk about these issues with as many people as possible — by changing what we eat and how we relate to animals and the environment, we can change the course of our future.