Menschen & Tiere

Directed by Bernhard Koch

In our society, many people love animals. But when it comes to researching or deciding on the origin, breeding, training, protection or slaughter of animals, people tend to assume the right to determine the animals' fate. A butcher slaughters animals while respecting their dignity, an ethicist visits his animal neighbors in the zoo, people on farms lovingly look after rescued animals, a horse trainer demands more discipline from herself than from her horses, a shepherdess is part of her herd Beekeeper researches the nature of bees, a dog coach offers protection and care for dogs, and even a priest blesses dogs in church services. In his documentary, Bernhard Koch shows various approaches to how respectful relationships between people and animals are possible in our modern, human-shaped world. At the same time, the film illustrates how challenging it can be to do justice to animals in this world designed by humans.