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Rowdy Girl – Hot Docs 2023

Rowdy Girl – Hot Docs 2023
Hot Docs 2023

April 27 to May 7, 2023

Film Info

FILM FESTIVAL
Hot Docs Hot Docs 2023

PROGRAMME
World Showcase


Former cattle ranchers transform their farm into an animal sanctuary in Rowdy Girl. Renee King-Sonnen is an animal lover who convinced her husband, Tommy, to turn vegan and convert their Texas Cattle Ranch into an animal sanctuary for farm animals. Now Renee runs a Rancher Advocacy Program to help farms transition from animal agriculture to plant-based.

Rowdy Girl Synopsis

Rowdy Girl is a documentary directed by Jason Goldman and executive produced by musician and animal rights activist Moby. Taking on a primary observational structure, the film shows life at the Rowdy Girl Sanctuary, created because the main subject Renee King-Sonnen couldn’t come to terms with the cruelty and violence normalized in animal agriculture. Instead, the former beef operation was converted into an animal sanctuary, which adopts farm animals without a home. Renee also helps other farms convert to plant-based, such as converting a chicken farm to produce mushrooms.

My Thoughts on Rowdy Girl

Rowdy Girl is a documentary that promotes the vegan lifestyle without getting too preachy about it. However, the film also mentions that such a transition is difficult since the system programs us. As someone who is still an omnivore, I admit that Rowdy Girl and the film’s very cute cast of animals, all with names, is enough to make at least me rethink my culinary choices.

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Sean Patrick Kelly

Sean Patrick Kelly is a self-described über-geek, who has been an avid film lover for all his life. He graduated from York University in 2010 with an honours B.A. in Cinema and Media Studies and he likes to believe he knows what he’s talking about when he writes about film (despite occasionally going on pointless rants).