Outrage toward the meat industry is by no means a new issue. Books, documentaries and even undercover videos have exposed flaws within the system, often inciting outrage and, in some cases, spurring laws to protect the food industry from the public’s prying eye.
Yet this clip from a 2011 documentary called "Samsara" explores modern food processing through a more artistic approach. Devoid of any dialogue, this six-minute series of vignettes takes the viewer on a journey through poultry, cattle and pork facilities, a grocery store, a fast food restaurant and ends with a doctor’s visit. There are no shots of pigs being beaten, or activists rallying for better animal welfare.
Despite the stunning clip, "Samsara" is not solely about the food industry. In fact, the filmmakers claim to not have any agenda whatsoever. “Our film is more about feelings and an inner journey than an intellectual experience,” "Samsara" producer Mark Magidson told the New York Times. “We’re not trying to say anything.”
The film’s website explains that samsara means “the ever turning wheel of life” in Sanskrit, and is meant to showcase “the point of departure for the filmmakers as they search for the elusive current of interconnection that runs through our lives.” It was shot in 25 different countries over a period of five years in an attempt to express “how our life cycle mirrors the rhythm of the planet.”
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