Be Their Voice, 2min,. Austria
Directed by FOUR PAWS
Jesse, a curious Australian student, invents an AI sheep translator and befriends Sunny, an adorable merino lamb. Their light-hearted connection turns somber when Sunny reveals fears about “live lamb cutting,” a common wool industry practice. The film sheds light on this distressing reality and advocates for change.
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What was the motivation behind this film?
At FOUR PAWS we’ve been working on the issue of live lamb cutting (also known as mulesing) for several years now. We have realised that we need a new, relatable way to capture people’s attention and make this cruel practice more accessible and understandable.
Although live lamb cutting is only practiced in Australia, the country is the world’s largest wool producer for the global fashion market. Hence, live lamb cut (mulesed) wool is a global issue—found in countless wardrobes and stores around the world, often without shoppers realising they’re contributing to this cruelty.
Until now, our efforts have focused on exposing the cruelty and mobilising support within animal welfare communities as well as working with fashion brands and their supply chains to reliably exclude live lamb cut wool. But to go beyond the animal welfare or specialised industry bubble—and truly touch hearts—we’re trying something different.
We’re introducing Sunny the lamb, who stands for millions of lambs who suffer each year for clothing. With Sunny’s story, told through beautiful 3D stop-motion animation and heartfelt storytelling, we hope to create a real emotional connection—one that helps people see this issue not as distant or abstract, but as something that affects us all, and something we can all help change.
What is live lamb cutting and why did you choose this style of animation to talk about it?
Live lamb cutting (mulesing), is a painful and outdated practice where palm-sized pieces of skin are cut from only 2–10 week-old lambs—without adequate pain relief. These young lambs experience intense fear, stress, and excruciating pain and some even die.
Live lamb cutting is not the same as tail docking or castration. It’s considered the most severe routine mutilation in sheep farming and can be completely avoided with viable solutions available.
And although it happens far away in Australia, it affects us all. Australia supplies around 70% of the world’s wool and 80% of fine Merino wool—most of it (80%) from sheep that have undergone this procedure.
We often rely on graphic footage and hard-hitting facts to show the harsh reality behind a widespread yet avoidable issue in the global fashion industry. But this time, we wanted to go further—not only to inform minds, but also to move hearts.
That’s why we chose to tell this story through Sunny, using heartfelt storytelling and beautifully crafted 3D stop-motion animation. This approach allows us to connect with people on a deeper emotional level, raise awareness of the cruelty, and emphasise the urgent need for change.
Ending live lamb cutting is possible—and it starts with awareness. We all have a role to play.
From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
It took us more than half a year of dedicated work, collaborating with two creative agencies, to bring this project to life—from storytelling and animation to voice casting in multiple languages.
We started with the storyline and a script, which created a lot of back and forth. Our goal was to find the right balance: emotionally engaging, accessible to a broad audience, and factually accurate. At the centre of the story is Sunny, our protagonist—an Australian lamb who slowly discovers the harsh reality behind merino wool and what it means to be live-cut as a lamb.
We spent most of our time developing Sunny and her mother, ensuring their portrayal was both emotionally compelling and biologically accurate. As animal welfare experts, it was important for us to get every detail right. It was equally important to us that the farmer character was portrayed neutrally and not as a villain, because we believe that farmers can and should be part of the solution, and that collaboration is key to moving the industry away from live lamb cutting.
The animation agency designed and crafted the set by hand—from the farmhouse to the coffee cup of Jesse, the PhD student who invents an AI “sheep-to-human” translator. Once the visual world was built, everything came together quickly.
We were fortunate to bring on board some incredible talents who care deeply about this issue:
• Danielle Macdonald voices Sunny the lamb. She is an Australian actress known for her breakout lead role in “Patti Cake$” as well as starring as the title character opposite Jennifer Aniston in “Dumplin” and opposite Sandra Bullock in Netflix’s hit “Bird Box”.
• Scott Evans voices Jesse the PhD student. He is an American actor and producer known for his roles in Netflix hit show “Frace and Frankie” and Greta Gerwig’s record-breaking blockbuster “Barbie”.
• And the legendary Sir Stephen Fry, English-Austrian actor, broadcaster, comedian, director, and writer lends his voice as the narrator.
We have also produced German and French versions with professional voice actors to ensure the message comes across in all languages and cultures.
What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Balancing our own expectations—and those of the many people who care deeply about the topic involved—was a real challenge. Staying true to the creative concept while upholding our commitment at FOUR PAWS to accuracy and scientific integrity made it especially difficult to find the right balance between factual precision and the fictional narrative that we believed had the strongest emotional reach. Navigating that tension—between narrative and truth—was one of the most complex aspects of the project. But looking at the final result, it was all worth it.
How did people react to the video?
The video triggered a wide range of reactions. Our core supporters and those in the animal welfare space appreciated the message. We also reached new audiences—young men and even farmers—who, as expected, responded critically due to the emotional and simplified portrayal of live lamb cutting.
Many shared lengthy comments, and we responded just as thoroughly. That opened the door fo fact-based conversations—and in some cases, even led to people acknowledging the need to move away from live lamb cutting. This kind of shift in perspective was one of the most rewarding outcomes.
Reaching people outside our usual circle—even if they don’t agree with it at first —gives us a valuable opportunity to share our message.
Moreover, the film has won so far three awards, helping us reach wider audiences and further spotlight the issue.
What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
I was thrilled to hear detailed feedback on the film and how external viewers experienced it. It was incredibly rewarding to realise that so many of the ideas we had envisioned truly came to life and were effectively conveyed through Sunny’s story—which is just fantastic.
What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
Providing more opportunities for exchange between participants—such as networking sessions or workshops—would be incredibly valuable. I’d also love to see more focus on understanding and amplifying the impact of films: learning how others have measured their film’s influence, what strategies have worked, and how to accelerate that impact would be especially helpful when looking to create meaningful change.
You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
Submitting “Be Their Voice” through FilmFreeway has been a smooth and straightforward experience. The platform makes it convenient to discover festivals that align with our film’s message and values. It also streamlines the submission process, keeping everything organised in one place: from uploading materials to tracking deadlines and receiving updates. It was great to be able to find the Toronto/Los Angeles Documentary Feature and Short Film Festival through the platform and to be awarded for “Best Micro-short” with Sunny’s heart-wrenching story.
What is next for you? A new film?
We’re planning to continue promoting the short film through additional film festivals and independent screenings to reach wider audiences. Beyond that, we’re actually considering developing a documentary that would explore the issue in greater depth—bringing in more context, diverse voices, and shedding light on the barriers to change as well as the available solutions.
