We fly, we crawl, we swim

we fly, we crawl, we swim

a short film about climate justice

“From the current, humanist, liberal model, we can walk, fly, swim and crawl to a multispecies society...”

Synopsis: The search for justice is not an individual endeavor, it is a collective practice of world-making. Haunted by past extinctions, a human being starts wondering what climate justice might look like, what its faces may be, when other beings are involved in the questioning. A cat, and many other non-human animals become present and part of the process, sharing their experiences, and moving together towards multispecies justice. The questions the film poses are as real as you (or me) are.

Concept: A short animated film that explores different ideas of justice through anti-speciesist lenses. The film engages with ideas taken from environmental justice, political ecology, political philosophy, posthumanism, critical animal studies, and anti-speciesist thought in general. Its main aim is to seek out possibilities of making climate justice with other animals.

Length: 23 minutes and 31 seconds

Country of origin: Romania

Disclaimer: The film uses a fictional dialogue to put into discussion contemporary theories and portray real events.

“A brilliant and poignant work of art that challenges existing horrors while promoting a vision of the world that includes justice for all humans and other animals.”

David Nibert - professor of sociology, author of “Animal Oppression and Human Violence: Domesecration, Capitalism and Global Conflict”

“we fly, we crawl, we swim” is a sad and hopeful tale about life in a multispecies world. In beautiful images, it shows us what is wrong with our present reality and how we can move beyond it, towards a different future. Because we can and should do better, together with the other animals.”

Eva Meijer - artist, writer and philosopher, author of “When animals speak: Toward an Interspecies Democracy”

“From human supremacy and ecocide to interspecies justice - an incredible journey in line, motion, color and sound.”

Sue Donaldson - writer and philosopher, co-author of “Zoopolis: A Political Theory of Animal Rights”

“Powerful and evocative.”

pattrice jones - ecofeminist writer, educator, and activist, cofounder of VINE Sanctuary

“The juxtaposition between extreme poverty and stocks for Tyson going up really hit me. This is absolutely beautiful work.”

Z. Zane McNeill - scholar-activist and co-editor of “Queer and Trans Voices: Achieving Liberation Through Consistent Anti-Oppression”

film teaser

Co-producer, Director, Researcher, Writer, Lead Animator, SFX & Video Editor: Aron Nor

Co-producer, Art Director, Illustrator, Frame by frame Animator: Mina Mimosa

Co-producer, Researcher, Writer, Voice of human: M. Martelli

Voice of justice: Oana Cristina Pușcatu

Voice of ancestors: Teodora Retegan

Voice of Aria: Aria, herself

Poems from the production process

Running thoughts we had while working on the film

(Interview) There’s no justice without climate justice, and no climate justice without anti-speciesism

Bibliography

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Woodhall, A., & Garmendia da Trindade, G. (Eds.). (2017). Ethical and Political Approaches to Nonhuman Animal Issues. Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-54549-3

Screening Information

“we fly, we crawl, we swim - a short film about climate justice” is free for screening in any event, location or classroom, given proper credit.

If you wish to screen it and do not have a good internet connection, please send us an email at contact@justwondering.io and we will send you the file for download, together with the subtitles (we currently have English, Romanian, Italian, Spanish and Polish).

If you do screen it and have a discussion, we’d love to hear about it!

If you need ideas for post-viewing discussion, we can prepare a list of questions.

Supported by

the 2020 Grant from