Martina Martausová ABSTRACT

“The Animal We Are/Eat”

Martina Martausová, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, Slovakia

 

The recent film Society of the Snow (Bayona 2023) revisits the well-known story of the Uruguayan rugby team whose plane crashed in the Andes in 1972, addressing the sensitive subject of real-life cannibalism and reinterpreting it through the lens of this tragic event. This study examines the film’s portrayal of cannibalism, contextualizing it within the broader discourse on animal liberation and the ethical and environmental implications of a meat-centered diet. The perspective adopted in this research is grounded in the disciplines of animal studies and environmental studies that emphasize the ecological impact of dietary choices. By contrasting the film’s depiction of human flesh consumption with discussions of animal liberation, the study seeks to scrutinize the ethical concerns surrounding characters who resort to cannibalism to survive. Drawing on Derrida’s concept of the gaze and the collapse of established hierarchies, it suggests that the film’s portrayal of cannibalism destabilizes the perceived distinction between human and non-human, allowing for broader reflections on the ethics of meat consumption. In Society of the Snow, cannibalism is depicted not as a cultural practice or personal choice, but as an act of sheer necessity in response to catastrophic circumstances. By presenting human flesh consumption as a survival option, the film challenges the anthropocentric view that determines what is considered meat and what is not, raising questions about the moral aspect of meat consumption, whether the flesh is human or non-human. In doing so, the film encourages fundamental reflections on the necessity of consuming non-human animals in an era marked by environmental crises, potential food system collapse, and the unpredictable effects of climate change.

 

Keywords: film, cannibalism, Animal Liberation, anthropocentrism, non-human animals