A new documentary about former Texas cattle ranchers who decided to transform their beef operation into an animal sanctuary and help other animal farmers transition to plant-based agriculture debuts at the Isabel Bader Theatre in Toronto, Canada, this Saturday. The film will also be streamed on Hot Docs May 5-9 and available only to Canadian viewers.

Source: Rowdy Girl Sanctuary/YouTube

Rowdy Girl is directed by Jason Goldman and executive produced by Moby. The central character is Renee King-Sonnen, a charismatic woman who was inspired to turn her husband’s cattle farm into an animal sanctuary after buying a calf named Rowdy Girl to get involved in helping her husband around the ranch. Through the experience of bottle-feeding this calf, King-Sonnen began to observe the rich inner lives of cows.

“I’m excited to be able to show audiences that farm animals and people are meant to live side by with one another in peace, as family and friends, not food,” said King-Sonnen.

The film shows the genuine relationships that King-Sonnen and her husband, Tommy, have with the animals on their sanctuary, the unique understanding they have for farmers and others supporting the animal agriculture industry, and former chicken farmers from Arkansas who transition their chicken sheds to a state-of-the-mushroom farm with the help of King-Sonnen’s Rancher Advocacy Program.

Since there is no music, the movie has an authentic feel that is refreshing and engaging. Instead, it relies on the passion and strong message of animal liberation that King-Sonnen and her husband embody.

“The best part of our lives as founders of Rowdy Girl Sanctuary is that we get to take care of the animals now until the day they naturally die.”

The film will also be shown at the Bell Lightbox cultural center in Toronto. Tickets for both shows and online streaming can be purchased on Hot Docs here.

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