This past weekend, FOUR PAWS’ documentary film “Eating the Future” made its New York City premiere at the Ceres Food Film Festival. Ceres is a global platform that uses the power of food-focused films to spark connection, deepen awareness, and motivate action around what, how, and why we eat. The festival was the perfect place to screen the multi-award-winning documentary, which exposes the horrors inside factory farms and the failures of our food system, while showcasing alternative methods that offer a brighter outlook for the future.

The screening took place inside the Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theater at Symphony Space, and audience members included animal welfare advocates, students, film lovers, and foodies. Ceres and FOUR PAWS were honored to have director, co-producer and investigative journalist, Katy Jenkyns, attend the festival.  She was happy to engage with special guests and audience members, as well as answer questions during a post-screening Q&A session. (Guests also took home tote bags featuring FOUR PAWS’ beloved rescue elephant Madhubala and delicious vegan doughnuts from Doughnut Plant!)

Jenkyns spoke about the importance of vegans, vegetarians, and omnivore participants all being interviewed for the film, which ensured the filmmakers included all those different viewpoints. The WILDLIGHT production team also consisted of people from each of those dietary lifestyles, and they continued to check in with each other throughout the editing process to balance their approach and make sure everyone felt “on board” with the final product.

Additionally, Jenkyns shared that while she had started her investigative work uncovering animal welfare and environmental justice problems, the gender and social justice angles of the film are all very much connected.

Tamara Bedic, Chair of the Animal-Rights Committee of the National Lawyers Guild, asked about the availability of mental health support for investigators working in this field. Jenkyns, who is from the U.K., said that while services differ between countries, there is generally greater recognition of the need for mental health care and improved access to support now compared to when she began her work nearly twenty years ago.

Another audience member praised the film and asked where and how else it could be seen. Luckily, the Ceres Food Film Festival has a virtual screening room where anyone can watch “Eating the Future” for free through October 26, 2025.

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the film! If you are interested in hosting your own screening of “Eating the Future,” contact us here.