Tonya Kay is an actress, TV personality, professional dancer and danger artist living in Los Angeles. A vegetarian of 28 years, vegan for 18 of those and raw vegan for the last 11, Tonya Kay pioneers the green health movement with appearances, publications and green media (available at 
| ‘Bold Native’: The First Fiction Film about the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) |
| Tuesday, 15 June 2010 | Tonya Kay | Blog Entry |
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In my opinion, animal rights are a necessary component of environmentalism. We share this planet with millions of other species that have many of the same drives and desires as we do. They strive to live. They care for their young. They feel pleasure, fear and pain. If these were not enough reasons for us to treat them as subjects instead of objects, there are more. Ultimately, our fate is inseparable from theirs. As Chief Seattle—leader of the Suquamish and Duwamish Native American tribes—said in 1855, “Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” I mention all of this as a preface to telling you about a new film I’m proud to be in. Its imminent premiere is keeping me extremely busy, so I’ll rely a bit on quotes from its press release to tell you about it. The film is called Bold Native, and it’s “the first fiction film about the Animal Liberation Front (ALF), a non-centralized group of animal liberators and economic saboteurs that the FBI calls their top domestic terrorist priority.” I play the character I Rock who is the film’s comedic relief. The plot line goes like this: “Charlie Cranehill (played by Joaquin Pastor), an ALF member wanted by the government for domestic terrorism, emerges from the underground to coordinate a nationwide action, while his CEO father (Randolph Mantooth, Emergency) tries to find him before the FBI does. Simultaneously, a young idealist campaigns for more humane treatment of farmed animals on behalf of a large nonprofit organization, and a woman from Charlie’s past threatens to undermine his plans.” Bold Native is something special because vegetarians, environmentalists and activists often get only documentaries supporting our points of view. Bold Native is a scripted film—with well-known actors moving a powerful storyline. This kind of art can affect change on a deeper level than many documentaries because often viewers relate to well-acted characters more personally than factual image sequences. And Bold Native isn’t just a film about animal compassion; it is a film that lives animal compassion. For example, we had an entirely vegan set and rescue animals were often there during filming. In fact, one of Bold Native’s rescues, Jumper the piglet, appears as himself in the film! The entire production company is vegan and Open Road Films gave preferential treatment in casting to “vegetarians, vegans and others with intimate knowledge of ‘the subject.’” Bold Native has a cast of 60 including many cameos like “veteran activist Peter Young, who served two years in federal prison for releasing thousands of mink from fur farms; actor/activist Chris DeRose, founder of Last Chance for Animals; pioneering animal rights lawyers Shannon Keith and Odette Wilkins; famed first amendment lawyer Louis Sirkin; John Feldmann, lead singer of the seminal pop-punk band Goldfinger; rapper MC Supernatural; and television stars Dianna Agron (Glee) and Whitney Mixter (Showtime’s The Real L Word).” As the press release explains, the film “reflects a growing cultural debate about the use of animals for food, clothing, entertainment and scientific research. The Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) of 2006 enabled the prosecution of activists as terrorists if their actions result in economic damage to corporations in animal industries like factory farms, slaughterhouses, research labs or fur farms. In addition to narrative storytelling, the film incorporates undercover footage from labs, farms and real-life animal liberations for stunning realism.” Here are some quotes from the filmmakers… Writer/director Denis Hennelly: “Bold Native is first and foremost an adventure story about people who risk their freedom for the lives of the innocent and defenseless, and while it’s a film about a serious subject, it’s also a celebration of life, so it has a sense of humor and playfulness that people don’t expect.” Producer Casey Suchan: “The animal-rights movement is often called the newest social-justice movement and is unique both in seeking to endow rights to sentient beings currently classified as property, and in terms of government targeting, indicting and imprisoning activists, even for involvement in above-ground, constitutionally protected protest activity. The ALF does break the law, but they outright forbid any action that might cause harm to humans or nonhumans—a track record unmatched by even the FBI itself.” Producer Mary Pat Bentel: “This film was motivated by real events that are happening right now. Billions of animals are at this very moment living and dying under horrific (but) legal circumstances. Our country and planet need to confront the question of animal use and exploitation. And this timely picture prompts us to do just that.” Here’s the trailer:
The release schedule for Bold Native is as follows: “[It] will screen for activists and high-profile Hollywood supporters in a red-carpet premiere June 16 at the historic Majestic Crest Theater in Westwood. An encore screening featuring live music and guest speakers will be held outdoors at the Mark Taper Amphitheater at TreePeople in Beverly Hills’ Coldwater Canyon Park on June 18. The premiere events kick off an independently booked West Coast tour as part of Bold Native’s hybrid distribution strategy. Screenings are set for June 24 in Portland at the Let Live Foundation 2010 Animal Rights Conference; June 29 in Seattle at the Northwest Film Forum; and Washington DC July 16 at the Animal Rights 2010 National Conference.” If you’d like to see Bold Native come to your town, write the producers from their website below. This is exactly the type of film you have the power to bring to you. Of course, I hope you come join me on my first theatrical red carpet this week in Los Angeles! If you see the film at any of its currently scheduled screenings, please let me know what you think by adding your review in the comments below this post. Additional resources: [Sign up to be notified each time Tonya publishes a new Clean and Green Everyday blog entry on EcoHearth.– Ed.] [See a complete list of writing by Tonya Kay on EcoHearth.com or visit her Clean and Green Everyday blog. – Ed.] Comments
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Written by Steve the Kaleidoscope Guy , June 15, 2010
"I ask people why they have deer heads on their walls. They always say because it's such a beautiful animal. There you go. I think my mother is attractive, but I have photographs of her." ~Ellen DeGeneres
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The fate of animals is of greater importance to me than the fear of appearing ridiculous; it is indissolubly connected with the fate of mankind. – Emile Zola
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Speaking of working with fellow vegans, has anyone checked out my modeling work with Russell Brand in the album artwork for the Get Him To The Greek Soundtrack called "Infant Sorrow"?
I also worked with Rob Zombie, a fellow vegetarian. I was a featured girl in his Foxy Foxy music video. And he was a great director.
I'm trying to think of any other really well known veggies or vegans I've knowingly worked with ...