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Plant-based diet movies do more than just entertain; they open our eyes to how our food choices matter. From documentaries that hit hard to stories that captivate, these films make us think twice about what we eat.
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They’re not just about promoting plant-based diets; they reveal the tough reality behind animal farming, show the environmental damage caused by meat-heavy diets, and highlight the amazing health benefits of going plant-based.
Exploring 25 Plant-Based Diet Films
1. Forks Over Knives (2011)
- Famous Character: The documentary features renowned experts like Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn.
- Available on: Netflix, Amazon Prime, and iTunes.
- Awards: Notable for its impact rather than traditional film awards.
- Story: Examines the claim that many degenerative diseases can be controlled or even reversed by rejecting animal-based and processed foods.
- Rating: IMDb 7.7/10.
2. The Game Changers (2018)
- Famous Character: James Wilks, a UFC fighter and elite Special Forces trainer. Executive producers include James Cameron, Arnold Schwarzenegger (famous for “Terminator”), and Jackie Chan.
- Available on: Netflix.
- Awards: Won several awards including the Social Impact Award at the Hollywood Film Awards.
- Story: Focuses on the benefits of a plant-based diet for athletes, debunking the myth that one needs meat for high performance.
- Rating: IMDb 7.8/10.
3. Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret (2014)
- Famous Character: Produced by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn, with Leonardo DiCaprio as an executive producer.
- Available on: Netflix.
- Awards: Received the Audience Choice Award at the South African Eco Film Festival.
- Story: Investigates the environmental impact of animal agriculture and criticizes the policies of environmental organizations on this issue.
- Rating: IMDb 8.3/10.
4. What the Health (2017)
- Famous Character: Directed by Kip Andersen and Keegan Kuhn.
- Available on: Netflix.
- Awards: Not specifically awarded, but widely recognized for its influence.
- Story: Follows filmmaker Kip Andersen as he uncovers the secret to preventing and reversing chronic diseases, and the collusion in the healthcare industry.
- Rating: IMDb 7.4/10.
5. Seaspiracy (2021)
- Famous Character: Directed by Ali Tabrizi.
- Available on: Netflix.
- Awards: Gained significant media attention and public discussion.
- Story: Focuses on the environmental impact of fishing, including the myth of sustainable fishing and the global commercial fishing industry.
- Rating: IMDb 8.2/10.
6. Okja (2017)
- Famous Character: Stars Tilda Swinton (known for “Doctor Strange”) and Paul Dano. Directed by Bong Joon-ho (famous for “Parasite”).
- Available on: Netflix.
- Awards: Nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
- Story: A young girl risks everything to prevent a powerful company from kidnapping her friend, a fascinating creature named Okja.
- Rating: IMDb 7.3/10.
7. Eating Animals (2017)
- Famous Character: Narrated by Natalie Portman (famous for “Black Swan”).
- Available on: Hulu, and Amazon Prime.
- Awards: Nominated for several documentary awards.
- Story: Based on Jonathan Safran Foer’s book, it explores the economic, environmental, and ethical realities of farming animals.
- Rating: IMDb 7.2/10.
8. Eating You Alive (2016)
- Famous Character: Features celebrities like Samuel L. Jackson.
- Available on: Various streaming platforms.
- Awards: Known for its educational impact.
- Story: A documentary about curing chronic diseases through a whole food, plant-based diet.
- Rating: IMDb 8.5/10.
9. Vegucated (2011)
- Famous Character: Directed by Marisa Miller Wolfson.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and iTunes.
- Awards: Won Best Documentary at the Toronto Independent Film Festival.
- Story: Follows three meat- and cheese-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks.
- Rating: IMDb 7.2/10.
10. 73 Cows (2018)
- Famous Character: Features farmer Jay Wilde.
- Available on: Vimeo.
- Awards: Won the BAFTA for Best Short Film.
- Story: A short documentary about a beef farmer who struggles with his conscience and transitions to organic vegan farming.
- Rating: IMDb 7.9/10.
11. Food, Inc. (2008)
- Famous Character: Narrated by Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
- Awards: Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
- Story: Explores the industrial production of meat, grains, and vegetables, exposing the corporate control of food production.
- Rating: IMDb 7.8/10.
12. Earthlings (2005)
- Famous Character: Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix (known as “Joker”).
- Available on: Vimeo, and YouTube.
- Awards: Best Documentary Feature at the Artivist Film Festival.
- Story: Focuses on the dependence of humans on animals for a variety of resources, highlighting animal rights issues.
- Rating: IMDb 8.7/10.
13. Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead (2010)
- Famous Character: Joe Cross as himself.
- Available on: Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
- Awards: Audience Choice Award at the Sonoma International Film Festival.
- Story: Chronicles Joe Cross’s mission to regain his health by juicing and adopting a plant-based diet.
- Rating: IMDb 7.5/10.
14. Live and Let Live (2013)
- Famous Character: Features several vegan activists and former farmers.
- Available on: Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
- Awards: Notable for its educational impact.
- Story: Examines the ethical, environmental, and health reasons that move people to adopt a vegan lifestyle.
- Rating: IMDb 7.8/10.
15. Vegan: Everyday Stories (2016)
- Famous Character: Features four diverse individuals, including an ultra-marathon runner.
- Available on: Amazon Prime.
- Awards: Not specifically awarded, but recognized for its impact.
- Story: A feature-length documentary exploring the lives of four remarkably different people who share the common thread of veganism.
- Rating: IMDb 7.5/10.
16. The Cove (2009)
- Famous Character: Led by Ric O’Barry, the former dolphin trainer for the “Flipper” TV series.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
- Awards: Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature.
- Story: Follows activists who strive to expose the dolphin hunting operations in Taiji, Japan.
- Rating: IMDb 8.4/10.
17. Blackfish (2013)
- Famous Character: Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite.
- Available on: Netflix, and Amazon Prime.
- Awards: BAFTA nomination for Best Documentary.
- Story: Focuses on the life of Tilikum, an orca held by SeaWorld, and issues concerning captive killer whales.
- Rating: IMDb 8.1/10.
18. Dominion (2018)
- Famous Character: Narrated by Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara.
- Available on: Vimeo, and YouTube.
- Awards: Australian Independent Film Award for Best Documentary.
- Story: Uses drones, hidden cameras, and handheld cameras to expose the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture.
- Rating: IMDb 9.2/10.
19. Hope for All (2016)
- Famous Character: Features interviews with several experts and activists.
- Available on: Various streaming platforms.
- Awards: Known for its educational impact.
- Story: Highlights the consequences of a Western diet high in animal-based foods and its impact on health and the environment.
- Rating: IMDb 8.4/10.
20. The Invisible Vegan (2019)
- Famous Character: Jasmine Leyva as herself.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and YouTube.
- Awards: Not specifically awarded, but recognized for its cultural impact.
- Story: Explores the health and wellness possibilities enabled by a plant-based diet within the African-American community.
- Rating: IMDb 7.4/10.
21. Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home (2009)
- Famous Character: Features several farmers and activists.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and Vimeo.
- Awards: Winner of several film festival awards.
- Story: Explores the experiences of farmers who have a change of heart and begin to question their way of life in animal agriculture.
- Rating: IMDb 8.3/10.
22. Speciesism: The Movie (2013)
- Famous Character: Directed by Mark Devries.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and Vimeo.
- Awards: Notable for its thought-provoking content.
- Story: Investigates the concept of speciesism, the assumption of human superiority leading to the exploitation of animals.
- Rating: IMDb 8.5/10.
23. Vegucated (2011)
- Famous Character: Directed by Marisa Miller Wolfson.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and iTunes.
- Awards: Winner of several film festival awards.
- Story: Follows three meat-loving New Yorkers who agree to adopt a vegan diet for six weeks.
- Rating: IMDb 7.2/10.
24. A Prayer for Compassion (2019)
- Famous Character: Directed by Thomas Wade Jackson.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and Vimeo.
- Awards: The Special Jury Prize winner at the International Vegan Film Festival.
- Story: Encourages people of faith to embrace a plant-based diet as a way to live out the values of compassion and mercy.
- Rating: IMDb 8.7/10.
25. The End of Meat (2017)
- Famous Character: Directed by Marc Pierschel.
- Available on: Amazon Prime, and iTunes.
- Awards: Notable for its exploration of a future without meat.
- Story: Envisions a world where meat consumption is a thing of the past and explores the ethical, environmental, and health reasons for a plant-based diet.
- Rating: IMDb 7.3/10.
