Eesha Kulkarni

Need a slight nudge towards adopting a more earth and animal-friendly lifestyle, or simply looking to educate yourself on the effects of global warming, biodiversity loss and other bleak climate realities? We’ve got your back!

We have curated a list of some of the best vegan documentaries produced in the last few years that will have even a staunch carnivore rethinking their diet choices. Deep dive into a plant-based perspective through these docu-films and you’ll realise how the meat industry has brainwashed us into thinking we need blood on our hands to satisfy our stomachs. From animal cruelty to the effects of meat-eating on not just the planet, but also our health, these documentaries present a strong case for us to at least begin experimenting with a more earth-friendly, plant-based lifestyle.

These vegan documentaries strive to narrate a gripping and persuasive tale through the lens of sustainability, the climate crisis, human health requirements and the meat industry’s cruel structure. Thanks to the burgeoning consciousness about the state of the planet, these well-received and super popular documentaries successfully convey the discrepancies found in corporations, food structures and how all these issues are interconnected.

No matter what your stance is on meat consumption, these documentaries will surely leave you wondering what’s at stake for the sake of that delicious steak on your plate. A welcome dilemma, in our opinion!

Here are seven documentaries you can binge watch if you’re on the verge of turning vegan or vegetarian.

SLAY

This 2022 documentary on veganism focuses on the animal consumption present in the world of fashion. How acceptable or ethical is it to kill animals in the name of vanity? Enter SLAY, a feature length documentary by investigative filmmaker Rebecca Cappelli, which promises to shake you to your core and open your eyes to the cruelty the fashion industry subjects to animals—especially the furry ones. The film captures the dark underbelly of the glamorous fashion industry which gets away with greenwashing, mislabling, animal cruelty and wastage of resources—especially the world’s biggest and most revered luxury brands.

Check it out here.

Seaspiracy

Last year’s viral documentary Seaspiracy, co-created by the maker of another hit Netflix docu-film Cowspiracy, Kip Andersen, plunged into uncovering lesser-known realities about the environmental destruction brought about in the oceans and other water bodies. The film follows the widespread practices and products wreaking havoc on the oceans including non-biodegradable plastics, fishing gear, illegal fishing and heartbreaking hunting methods eroding marine life all over the world. Prepare to feel bamboozled by “trusted” corporations and also reflect on what you learnt.

Check it out here.

The Game Changers

Directed by the Oscar-winning Louie Psihoyos of The Cove fame, and produced by Jackie Chan, Arnold Schwarzenegger and James Cameron, the 2018 nail-biter is a revolutionary take on the standard diet we’ve been fed, literally and figuratively, since the dawn of time. It challenges the idea of meat being the only source of protein for humans and informs us about everything we need to know about meat, protein and strength. James Wilks embarks on a worldwide journey to unveil this truth by showcasing elite athletes, special ops soldiers, and visionary scientists to urge people to rethink the way they eat and live. Even if this devastating film wouldn’t make you embrace a plant-based lifestyle right away, you’ll never look at meat the same again and will be scarred for life—that’s for sure.

Check it out here.

What The Health

If you’ve ever wondered about what the lobbying pharmaceutical giants are conspiring against the public, then your answer lies in the 2017 documentary What The Health. The jaw-dropping vegan film shines a much-needed spotlight on official health organisations and their blatant denial and dismissal of the negative health impacts of consuming animal products. So, what must be the ulterior motive? A plant-based lifestyle can also mean a disease-free one, so why bother spreading the word, right? Pharmas need sick people who then need medicines and drugs to live. The pharmaceutical industry is most evidently a cash cow and no one seems to want to cash out. Cash cows over real cows, am I right?

Check it out here.

Cowspiracy

If you’ve been thinking of committing to ‘meatless Mondays,’ this 2014 documentary should definitely be your source of inspiration. This film is the one that started the wave of films promoting veganism and converted countless meat eaters worldwide into adopting a plant-based lifestyle. Cowspiracy urges people to see how animal agriculture is directly linked to a slew of ecological issues including climate change, droughts, water shortages and dead zones in the oceans. It makes a compelling argument for a vegan lifestyle, and how a reduction in meat production and consumption will dramatically change the environment and the planet as a whole.

Check it out here.

The End Of Meat

If you’re already on the verge of going vegan or vegetarian and need a push, watch The End Of Meat. The 2018 documentary showcases in-depth interviews with philosophers, scientists, artists and activists who share their valuable insight and opinion on the role of animals in society. The film also explores what a world without meat would mean for the environment, the earth, and the people occupying it.

Check it out here.

Vegucated

This guerrilla-style documentary puts a fun, light-hearted spin on the heavy debate of veganism versus meat-eating and challenges three real-life cheese-loving carnivores from New York to go on a six-week challenge to go vegan. The contestants are promised a plethora of health benefits including weight loss and other improvements, but soon reform their lifestyle for real. In this sociological experiment and part adventure comedy, they learn about the endless perils that animal agriculture has on our planet and on our bodies. The key to progress is never saying never, and the proof of this concept is seen in this film. Vegucated showcases the “rapid and at times comedic evolution of three people who are trying their darndest to change in a culture that seems dead set against it.“

Check it out here.