The Ghosts in Our Machine

Toronto-based photojournalist Jo-Anne McArthur suffers from PTSD. Though she’s not exactly a war photographer, her subject is too potent for publication in consumer magazines. McArthur photographs the cruel mistreatment of animals by humans who operate giant “systems” to process them for their furs and meat. Filmmaker Liz Marshall accompanies McArthur as she scales fences to photograph enormous European mink and fox farms, showing anxious creatures that are prone to cannibalism and self-mutilation. She documents the abusive practices of dairy farmers, ranchers, and lab researchers, then occasionally seeks peace with a friend who runs a large animal sanctuary. McArthur points out that simply liberating animals won’t change the system; instead, she promotes their rights by documenting their maltreatment. THE GHOSTS IN OUR MACHINE reminds us animals share our basic emotions, and the main thing separating us from them is our intellect. Perhaps it’s time we used ours to work toward a cruelty-free world. Note: Some scenes contain graphic animal imagery. —B.B.