Animal Nature Future Film Festival - Feature: Collective Monologue

When: Monday, October 27, 2025, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Where: BLOC Cinema, Mile End

In Collective Monologue, filmmaker Jessica Sarah Rinland crafts a 105-minute meditation on the labour, memory, and ethics embedded within animal institutions.

Set across Argentina, the film follows Maca, a zookeeper and activist, as she navigates the transformation of zoos from colonial-era displays to spaces of rehabilitation. Shot on 16mm and interwoven with archival soundscapes and documents, the work reveals overlooked histories and unseen daily care.

More than a record of animals, Collective Monologue examines the humans who dedicate their lives to them, the ghosts of past practices, and the fragile bonds between species. By resisting spectacle in favour of quiet observation, Rinland reframes conservation as an ongoing dialogue — one where care and captivity remain entwined.