New Documentary Explores the Truth Behind Rainforest Destruction in Brazil

The newly released documentary Takeout explores the role meat production has played in Brazil’s devastating rainforest fires. Now available on Amazon and iTunes, the documentary is produced by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Michal Siewierski, musician Moby, and philanthropist Peter Eastwood.

The documentary showcases interviews with a diverse set of experts, including former congressman Henry Waxman; Mighty Earth CEO Glenn Hurowitz; Dr. Neal Barnard of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine; and Mercy For Animals’ own senior vice president of strategy, impact, and research, Lucas Alvarenga. The broad range of sources and perspectives helps paint a well-rounded picture of the dangers threatening the Amazon rainforest. Director Michal Siewierski said:

Mainstream media coverage of the catastrophic destruction of the Amazon doesn’t paint the full picture. With Takeout, I wanted to show how the choices we make about what we eat and consume thousands of miles away directly impact the rainforest.

The Amazon is the largest tropical rainforest in the world, and nearly two-thirds of it lies in Brazil. Brazil is also the world’s second-largest producer of beef. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, cattle ranching is one of the top drivers of deforestation in the Amazon, where 70 percent of deforested land is used for pasture. Cattle ranching increases fire risk and contaminates local ecosystems. Despite all this, cattle ranching in the Amazon is expanding.

According to Brazil’s space research center, the country’s northern and western regions saw an 83 percent rise in the number of fires in the first eight months of 2019, compared with the same period in 2018. Siewierski’s film aims to expose the connection between meat and deforestation, along with the political and corporate corruption that supports this unsustainable industry.

The documentary is currently streaming on iTunes and Amazon and will soon come to more platforms and regions. Subscribe to Takeout’s email list or follow the film on Instagram and Facebook for updates, screenings, and more. You can also start making a difference in your own life by eating more plant-based foods! Download our FREE Vegetarian Starter Guide to learn how.