Urge the ABC to stream 'Sentient' documentary

A major new documentary investigating biomedical animal testing, Sentient, has just been released. The film marks the directorial debut of veteran ABC journalist Tony Jones. Having a mainstream, highly respected journalist helm a project on this subject is a major step forward.

While some were able to catch the national premieres at the end of August, this film needs to be seen by a much wider audience. Please take a few minutes to send the email template below to the ABC Programming Team to urge them to acquire the film for ABC iview!

Points to make are suggested below: it's best to adapt these into your own words for maximum impact.

Make the request via the form here, selecting ‘Request’ as the reason for contact.

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Subject: Programming Request: ABC acquisition of Australian documentary ‘Sentient’ (2026)

To: ABC Programming and Acquisitions Team

Please acquire and stream Sentient on ABC iView. This new documentary  explores the moral, emotional and clinical questions – as well as answers – around why we still test on animals, and what it will take us to stop. Read more and watch the trailer here: miff.com.au/program/film/sentient.

Key reasons:

• Australian production team: The film marks the directorial debut of veteran ABC journalist Tony Jones. It was produced by Ivan O'Mahoney and co-written/edited by Australian screen editor Rachel Grierson-Johns.  
• Australian origin: The documentary's premise was directly inspired by a conversation Tony Jones had with Australian philosopher and ethicist Peter Singer. 
• Festival selections: Sentient recently premiered in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival and screened at the 2026 Melbourne International Film Festival.
• Critical acclaim: The film has received positive critical reception during its festival run, with reviews from outlets such as Screen Daily describing it as "emotionally powerful."
• Important subject matter: It investigates the secretive world of biomedical animal testing, exploring the psychological harm inflicted on both the animal subjects and the human practitioners.
• ABC lineage: Given Tony Jones's extensive history as an ABC journalist and former Q&A host, broadcasting his first feature documentary on ABC iview is a logical fit for the network.