Dominion

About the production

The film was a massive undertaking that took years to compile, serving as a spiritual successor to the 2014 documentary 'Lucent.' Director Chris Delforce and his team used a variety of high-tech tools, including 4K aerial drones and custom-built hidden cameras, to infiltrate highly secured facilities. The production faced significant legal and physical risks, as many of the filming locations were private property where 'ag-gag' laws or trespassing regulations were strictly enforced. The project was largely supported by the animal rights community, with thousands of individuals contributing to two separate crowdfunding campaigns to cover post-production and distribution costs.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Released in 2018 during its commercial era, Dominion reached audiences when exhibitors were still defining programming conventions. The narrative hook—Exposing the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture through drones…—reflects what contemporary producers thought would draw viewers.

Why this film matters

Dominion remains discussed by archivists tracing how screen stories of its period represented work, desire, conflict, and social order. Its central situation—Exposing the dark underbelly of modern animal agriculture through drones…—still prompts questions about genre conventions and audience expectations.

Making of

The making of Dominion was characterized by extreme secrecy and technical innovation. To capture the footage of CO2 gas chambers for pigs, the crew had to design specialized camera rigs that could withstand the harsh, dark environments of slaughterhouses. Many scenes were captured by activists who spent hours or even days hiding in rafters or ventilation systems. The post-production process was reportedly emotionally taxing for the editors, who had to sift through hundreds of hours of distressing footage to select the most representative and impactful clips. The involvement of Shaun Monson, the director of 'Earthlings,' as a co-producer helped provide a structural blueprint for the film's narrative flow.

What critics said

Trade and newspaper notices for Dominion generally emphasized casting, spectacle, and program fit rather than extended aesthetic argument. Retrospective screenings and archival notes continue to shape how viewers evaluate Dominion today.

Did you know?

• The film features an A-list narration cast including Joaquin Phoenix, Rooney Mara, Sia, Sadie Sink, and Kat Von D.
• Director Chris Delforce was famously raided by police in 2015 during the production of the film, with authorities seizing computers and footage.
• The title 'Dominion' refers to the biblical concept of man's rule over animals, which the film seeks to deconstruct.
• Many of the narrators, including Joaquin Phoenix and Rooney Mara, are long-time animal rights activists and vegans.
• The film's release sparked massive protests across Australia, including a coordinated 'National Day of Action' where activists blocked major city intersections.
• It is often referred to as the 'Australian Earthlings' due to its similar structure and impact to the 2005 documentary.
• The production team used 'citizen science' and public repositories to gather some of the footage from whistleblowers within the industry.
• Despite being an Australian production, the film has been translated into over 10 languages to facilitate global activism.

Awards & recognition

• Best Documentary Feature - Hollywood International Moving Pictures Film Festival (2018)
• Best Director (Chris Delforce) - Festigious International Film Festival (2018)
• Award of Excellence for Narration (Joaquin Phoenix) - Hollywood International Independent Documentary Awards (2018)
• Best Original Score - Los Angeles Independent Film Festival Awards (2018)
• Grand Prize - Accolade Global Film Competition (2018)

Visual style

The cinematography is a striking mix of the beautiful and the grotesque. It utilizes 4K drone photography to show the massive, industrial scale of factory farms from above—landscapes that look like prisons from the air. This is contrasted with the handheld, grainy, and claustrophobic footage from inside the facilities, creating a visual language that emphasizes the isolation and suffering of the individual animals.

Innovations

Dominion is notable for its use of consumer-grade drones for investigative journalism. By capturing high-definition aerial footage of facilities that were previously hidden by high fences and remote locations, the filmmakers were able to map out the sheer scale of the industry. The use of hidden 4K cameras also represented a significant leap in quality over the low-resolution 'spy-cam' footage typical of earlier animal rights documentaries.

Music

The soundtrack, composed by Asher Pope, is minimalist and atmospheric, designed to heighten the tension without distracting from the gravity of the images. It often uses low-frequency drones and somber strings. However, the most significant 'soundtrack' of the film is the diegetic sound—the industrial clanging of machinery and the vocalizations of the animals, which are left unedited to provide a raw, immersive experience.

Famous quotes

The truth is, there's no humane way to kill someone who wants to live.

Dominion is the idea of one group or entity exercising control, power or authority over another, under the belief that they have the right to do so.

Our desire to live, to be free, to be seen not as objects, not for our utility to others, but for who we are as individuals.

Memorable scenes

• The opening drone sequence showing the vast, desolate landscape of an industrial pig farm.
• The harrowing footage of pigs being lowered into CO2 gas chambers, captured via a hidden camera inside the chamber.
• The segment on the egg industry showing the maceration of day-old male chicks.
• The final monologue which draws parallels between speciesism and other forms of systemic oppression like racism and sexism.

What audiences thought

Audience reception has been intensely emotional. On platforms like IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds very high user ratings, often accompanied by reviews describing it as 'life-changing' or 'the hardest thing I've ever watched.' It has developed a cult-like status within activist circles, where 'Watch Dominion' has become a common slogan and call to action.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Earthlings (2005)
• Lucent (2014)
• The Cove (2009)
• Blackfish (2013)

This film influenced

• Pignorant (2024)
• Eating Our Way to Extinction (2021)
• Milked (2021)

Film restoration

The film is digitally preserved and widely available. It is maintained by the Farm Transparency Project and is hosted on multiple redundant servers to ensure it cannot be removed or censored by industry pressure.

Where to watch

• Official website (watchdominion.org)
• YouTube (Official Channel)
• Vimeo
• Various documentary streaming platforms