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HSHV and S.M.A.R.T present an award-winning documentary - Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home Doors open at 6:00 pm on Mon., Feb. 25th at HSHV The Humane Society of Huron Valley in conjunction with S.M.A.R.T. (Southeastern Michigan Animal Rights Team) is delighted to be hosting a special screening of the film, Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home. Associate Producer, Kevin Smith, will be in attendance and will hold a question and answer session after the screening which will be held at HSHV on Monday, February 25th at 6:00 pm. Doors open at 6:00 pm with refreshments and a brief introduction. This film is free to the public and will begin at 6:30 pm. Parking and space will be limited and people are encouraged to RSVP for this event. If you are interested is touring HSHV before the film, please plan an arriving at 5:30 pm. A 78-minute documentary, Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home shatters stereotypical notions of farming life. Producer, James LaVeck explains, “Most of us are unaware of the painful initiation many farm kids go through when, like Harold, they discover they must choose between their natural empathy for the animals under their care, and their desire to be accepted by their family and community, both of which expect them to participate in taking the lives of individual animals they have nurtured. “Peaceable Kingdom is a powerfully moving film that helps expand our understanding and boundaries of compassion. It is easy for most people to understand animal cruelty from the standpoint of dogs and cats. This film helps us see that all animals have feelings and are deserving of our compassion and protection, and that so often the damage we do to them we also do to ourselves. We are honored to be part of this event,” said HSHV CEO, Tanya Hilgendorf. “Our goal was to sensitively and accurately portray this moral struggle,” adds film Director, Jenny Stein, “while also providing a rare glimpse into the emotional lives of farm animals. The way the animals communicate their individuality and their unmistakable caring for each other turns out to be one of the most commented-upon aspects of the film.” Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home has been an official selection in 14 film festivals in North America, including the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital, the St. Louis International Film Festival, the Anchorage International Film Festival, and the Princeton Environmental Film Festival. It has also screened at the Cleveland Institute of Art and at Seattle’s Egyptian Theater. About director Jenny Stein and producer James LaVeck Jenny Stein is a native Ithacan who studied photography and film at Cornell before heading to UCLA for an MFA in Independent Film & Television Producing. James LaVeck is also a Cornell graduate who taught Tae Kwan Do in Ithaca while writing fiction. When he met Stein in 1990, they began partnering on screenwriting and film projects. In 2000 they founded Tribe of Heart, an Ithaca-based nonprofit production company that produces life-changing, award-winning films about the journey of awakening conscience. Their documentaries have screened at more than 80 film festivals around the world, winning 18 top awards. Their first documentary, The Witness, which is now distributed in 12 different languages, was described by Pulitzer-winning columnist Howard Rosenberg as "one man's truth that cries out for mass exposure... may be the most important and persuasive film about animals ever made" (Los Angeles Times). Stein and LaVeck's films have been broadcast on PBS, endorsed by Dr. Jane Goodall, and supported by actors James Cromwell, Alicia Silverstone and William Baldwin. About film subject A fifth-generation farmer from Michigan, Harold Brown worked in animal agriculture for half of his life. In Peaceable Kingdom: The Journey Home, he shares the touching story of how he broke away from the traditions of his upbringing to forge a new way in the world, based on his desire to live in harmony with his most deeply held values. In 2008, Harold founded a charitable organization called Farmkind, “to be a resource for farmers who want to make the transition from animal based to plant based agriculture, for consumers to learn a different perspective on how food is produced, to help those who desire to reconnect with the land and become farmers, to support local food production, environmental and social justice issues, the rights of all living beings to be co-cohabitants of this planet, and how these things have everything to do with creating the peaceful world that all beings desire." About the Humane Society of Huron Valley The Humane Society of Huron Valley, located in Ann Arbor, awarded two years in a row by the Michigan Pet Fund Alliance as the “Best Animal Shelter” for having the highest save rate of all similar shelters. HSHV is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and relies solely on donations from businesses and individuals to support our community programs. The mission of HSHV is to promote responsible and compassionate care of all animals in our community and we are not affiliated with the Michigan Humane Society or any other humane organization. For more information, call (734) 662-5585 or visit www.hshv.org. |
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