Documentaries have the power to change perspectives! With veganism flaring up over the recent years, there’s been a steady increase in vegan documentaries on Netflix. And if you’re new to the world of plant-based diets, then these shows are everything you need. But prepare to be blown away! Because these factual films not only focus on educating you about the benefits of a vegan diet, but also bring forth the dark truths of the animal agriculture industry.
It’s cruel! It’s bone-chilling! And has a devastating impact on both the individual and the planet.
From documentaries centred around the human-animal bond to inspecting our troubled food systems and how it’s affecting our surroundings. These vegan documentaries open us to a whole new sphere, questioning our choices and challenging the mutilated truth handed to us by the food industry.
In addition to some inspiring vegan podcasts, stay tuned for important insights on veganism with a whole list of eye-opening documentaries that will encourage you towards a more sustainable lifestyle and give you hundreds of reasons to go vegan!
12 Must-Watch Vegan Documentaries on Netflix
- Eating You Alive
- Earthlings
- The Game Changers
- Rotten
- Vegucated
- Cowspiracy
- Seaspiracy
- David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet
- The Milk System
- Blackfish
- What the Health
- Knives Over Forks
What Are Vegan Documentaries?
Veganism and the vegan diet may seem synonymous, but they represent different aspects within the broad umbrella of Veganism. While a vegan diet focuses on abstaining from animal products, Veganism encompasses a comprehensive lifestyle that extends beyond dietary choices. Understanding this distinction, we can appreciate that vegan documentaries offer much more than mere lectures on dietary changes. Vegan blogs and documentaries delve into the multifaceted aspects of Veganism, exploring ethics, environmental impact, and health considerations. They provide a captivating and informative medium to broaden our understanding of the vegan movement and inspire positive change.
Vegan documentaries aim towards exploring a vast array of topics that constitute veganism as a mindset. These films bring to you a look at veganism through new lenses and change your vision of what it means to be a vegan in the modern-day world.
From delving deep into the food production process in factories and the cruel treatment of animals in the animal agriculture industry, to the benefits and misconceptions of a vegan way of living and the environmental impact of animal agriculture— these vegan documentaries on Netflix explore it all!
Where To Watch Vegan Documentaries?
Almost all streaming platforms provide you access to a number of vegan documentaries. We live in a world where content has flooded the internet like crazy with streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime, Hulu, etc., releasing copious amounts of content on a regular basis.
Finding a good vegan documentary that’s worth your time in the sea of documentaries available on different streaming platforms can be tiring. In your search, you might very well stumble upon worthless docuseries like, ‘Bad Vegan Fame Fraud Fugitives’, portraying the tale of a fallen vegan restaurateur. To help ease your task, we bring you this article with a concise list of factual films, so that the next time you type out ‘vegan documentaries netflix’, you won’t have to dig deep!
Top 12 Vegan Documentaries on Netflix
1. Eating You Alive (2018)
IMDB Rating : 7.9/10
Eating You Alive is an inspiring documentary that inspects the food that goes into our body as a major cause of chronic diseases from which nearly 30.4 million people die each year. The movie documents health experts claiming that many of these chronic diseases are preventable if only we watch what we eat. If food can be the cause, it can also be the cure!
The documentary reveals shocking truths about the food and drug industry and how they are playing with the American public’s health without being called out for their unethical actions.
2. Earthlings (2005)
IMDB Rating : 8.6/10
Narrated by the Academy Award-winning actor Joaquin Phoenix, Earthlings uncovers the truth behind some of the largest industries in the world that reel in profits from exploiting the animal agriculture industry. The documentary showcases real-life footage extracted from hidden cameras placed at locations that thrive on animal-derived products.
The cruel exploitation of animals at the hands of humans is unmistakable and leaves a sour, but necessary, taste in the mouth. It reveals the flawed ethics of the human world and pushes one to abandon the use of all animal products.
3. The Game Changers (2018)
IMDB Rating : 7.8/10
One click at ‘vegan documentaries on Netflix,’ and you’re sure to come across The Game Changers. It showcases James Wilks, a UFC Fighter, who embarks on a journey to find the truth about a healthy diet and whether meat is actually a part of it. The movie stars an array of athletes, soldiers and other men in hyper-masculine roles who have adopted a vegan lifestyle and are reaping its benefits.
Traditional American thought has always boosted meat, dairy, and other animal-derived products as essential ‘game changers’ for a person’s health. However, this documentary debunks the belief that an animal-based diet is a necessary source of protein.
Showcasing popular athletic figures like Lewis Hamilton, Morgan Mitchell, Arnold Schwarzenegger James Cameron, etc., The Game Changers busts myths about protein-based diets by showcasing mouthwatering vegan meals that don’t just result in improved vitality, but can also reverse chronic ailments like clogged arteries.
A large part of the documentary features men like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jackie Chan, who prove that they perform better because of a plant-based diet. The movie also makes a case for the dismal effect the animal food industry has not just on individual health but also on the health of our planet.
4. Rotten (2018-19)
IMDB Rating : 7.2/10
Rotten is a documentary series that pushes the viewer to look beyond the finished product by acknowledging the whole process that goes into making that item. It reveals the truth behind the flawed food industry that exploits small-scale farmers and feeds poor quality (and in many cases potentially harmful) products to consumers.
From sugar and fish to avocado, garlic, and cocoa, this series exposes it all, providing meaningful information on what we eat without thinking on a daily basis. Rotten will make you sit back and think about your consumption habits.
5. Vegucated (2011)
IMDB Rating : 7.1/10
A great eye-opener for meat-eaters, Vegucated follows the life of three meat-eating and dairy-consuming individuals as they take up a challenge to stay vegan for six weeks. The documentary follows an interactive approach and provides a load of information about the benefits of a plantbased diet in the long run. The show is educational, informational, and has the ability to change your mind about eating meat and consuming dairy.
6. Cowspiracy (2014)
IMDB Rating : 8.1/10
A revolutionary documentary, Cowspiracy will help you connect the dots that link animal agriculture and climate change. The movie follows Kip Andersen as he strives to seek a sustainable form of living that would hit the roots of major environmental problems like climate change species extinction, etc.
As Andersen digs deeper, he finds out the reasons why the animal agriculture industry is irrevocably linked with climate change and that the ultimate key to a sustainable lifestyle is to go vegan!
7. Seaspiracy (2021)
IMDB Rating : 8.1/10
A sequel to the 2014 film Cowspiracy, Seaspiracy showcases everything wrong with the commercial fishing industry. Directed by Ali Tabrizi, Seaspiracy advocates abstaining from fish consumption by showcasing the horrific impact of commercial fishing on marine life.
Definitely, a must-watch documentary that reveals bone-chilling facts about the cruel treatment of marine life and the destruction caused by human greed on a daily basis. Facts like fishing nets make up 48% of the plastic waste in oceans, and around 30,000 sharks are killed per hour by fishing, exposing the destruction we are causing by just being consumers of fish-based products.
8. David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet (2020)
IMDB rating : 8.9/10
David Attenborough: A Life On Our Planet is a witness statement of a 93-year old man who, after visiting all continents of the world, embarks upon what he has observed and draws shocking conclusions as to the dismal future of our planet.
The documentary also leaves the viewer with some key takeaways, small efforts that we as consumers must make to save the planet for future generations. One must actively seek to reduce their carbon footprint, eat less meat, fly less, eat local and organic produce, and make other such small efforts to save the Earth from destruction.
9. The Milk System (2017)
IMDB Rating : 7.1/10
Directed by Andreas Pichler, The Milk System is a documentary that exposes the latent costs of a billion-dollar milk industry. Pichler takes you behind the scenes, revealing how there’s nothing innocent about milk production and consumption. The documentary will push you to check your dairy consumption and its effects on the environment.
10. Blackfish (2013)
IMDB Rating : 8.1/10
Nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Documentary, Blackfish reveals the dark world of captive orca holding by organisations like SeaWorld that otherwise claim to be on a mission to “rescue” and “rehabilitate” sea animals. The movie reveals the bitter truth behind these themed marine entertainment parks that pluck out marine animals from their habitats and place them in confined spaces.
Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the documentary details the captive holding of Tilikum, an orca under capture by SeaWorld, and the consequences of captive holding. The wild-caught orcas, when “tamed” to a lifetime of performance in aquariums, turn aggressive, thus attacking fellow orcas and humans. Their life span also decreases by half, proving how brutally they are treated. (Orcas are also known as killer whales, generally known for their unique black and white patterned body)
The documentary beautifully unfolds the tragic plight of orcas like Tilikum, who fall prey to cruel human hands and live a confined life for which they were never destined. This documentary is a must-watch for those who believe in demolishing animal cruelty in all forms as a necessary part of the veganism philosophy.
11. What The Health (2017)
IMDB Rating : 7.2/10
Another well-thought-out documentary among the collection of vegan documentaries Netflix has to offer you is What The Health. It follows Kip Andersen as he decodes the secret to reversing chronic ailments and finds out that everything lies in our consumption of animal products. The movie re-affirms what we already know by now: a plant-based diet is the key to a healthy lifestyle!
12. Forks Over Knives (2011)
IMDB rating : 7.7/10
Forks Over Knives is another documentary that stresses on disease prevention and cure by following a vegan diet. Because believe me, research is proof that a plantbased diet has the potential to literally “save your life.” With a bank of information from a medical perspective, this documentary is a huge resource when it comes to educating oneself about the benefits of a vegan lifestyle.
What is Veganism?
If you pride yourself as a follower of veganism just because you are on a vegan diet, then, my friend, you need to revisit your concept. Because veganism is more than a plantbased diet. It is a broad term promoting a drastic lifestyle shift that many people fail to recognise.
The Vegan Society describes veganism as— “A philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude— as far as is possible and practicable— all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment.”
So you see, veganism is a philosophy, a way of life, which constitutes more than just following a plantbased diet. It extends to a level where we should abstain from any and all animal products, be it food or clothing. Veganism is about questioning the animal agriculture industry, acting against all forms of animal exploitation and cruelty, and refusing to consider animals as “mere objects of use.”
Impact of Vegan Documentaries
When they say that visual learning is the best way to spread awareness, they are not wrong! Visuals sure do have a way of getting into our heads and staying there for long durations. So, it’s not surprising that vegan documentaries Netflix has on its platform have become life savers, providing the much-needed push to people wanting to turn vegan and to others wanting to stay vegan!
Changing the consumer is the key. If the consumer is made aware of the devastating effects of factory farming, it will automatically turn the producers into producing what’s in demand. This is much more visible in supermarkets, where the range of vegan products available for purchase has increased substantially.
Vegan documentaries play an active role in creating this awareness, thus acting as a major catalyst in the chain of change.
Final Thoughts…
Like any other movie, a vegan documentary can also change the way you view this world in just about 90 minutes. Plus, they are a super fun way of consuming crucial information! So what are you waiting for? Start watching one by one from Eating You Alive, Earthlings, The Game Changers, Rotten, Vegucated, Cowspiracy, Seaspiracy, David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet, The Milk System, Blackfish, What the Health and Forks Over Knives. And while you’re at it, let us know if we missed out on some amazing vegan documentaries by commenting down below!
