A profoundly upsetting documentary, Sentient explores the multitudinous horrors of the animal testing infrastructure—not just the physical, psychological, and spiritual toll on the animals, but the damage done to the human technicians, scientists, and doctors complicit in the process, all underpinned by science that may not be as solid as it claims to be. Centered on the expansive animal testing industrial complex, particularly the role of primates and most specifically the macaque, this film from Australian director Tony Jones leans on a mission-driven talking heads format, giving space to explore both sides of the moral and ethical quagmire that is testing on creatures as sentient as we are. It strikes a potent balance between the informative and the devastating, channeling an activist spirit without sacrificing journalistic integrity.
