Unlocking the Cage

Follows animal rights lawyer Steven Wise in his unprecedented challenge to break down the legal wall that separates animals from humans, by filing the first lawsuits that seek to transform a chimpanzee from a 'thing' with no rights to a 'person' with legal protections. From renowned documentarians D.A. Pennebaker (Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back) and Chris Hegedus (Startup.com).

"Wise’s unusual plaintiffs - chimpanzees Tommy and Kiko, once famed showbiz stars - are now living in filth, struggling to survive. Wise and his impassioned legal team take us into the field, revealing gripping evidence of such abuse and plunging us into the intricacies of their case as they probe preconceived notions of what it means to be a non-human animal. Propelled by one man’s life mission of 30 years, the filmmakers mine this obsession and dedication to a cause that many experts feel is ripe for skepticism." (Sundance Film Festival)

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