For years, the ethics of animal testing have been a hugely contested topic. Is it just plain cruel or is it beneficial to humanity? A major focal point in this debate is the colossal number of monkeys used around the world in experiments. While some of the research conducted on animals has led to breakthroughs in medicine, these results come at a high cost—not only for unwitting creatures but also for the researchers who facilitate the testing. Dr. Lisa Jones-Engel has long been one of those researchers, and she is willing to speak out. After a lauded career working at the noted primate centre of the University of Washington, she begins to rethink the work she has dedicated herself to. Through some shocking undercover footage taken inside laboratories, Sentient offers up a difficult but pressing story, questioning the morality of causing harm, no matter the broader justification. Gabor Pertic
Content advisory: This film contains undercover footage of animals in pain and distress in testing facilities.