Do Viewers Feel It? Empathy for Other-Than-Human Animals in Cinema

Abstract

This article explores how viewers’ empathic responses toward animal characters in films can be activated. Drawing on neuroscience, cognitive film theory suggests that empathy involves both the affective capacity to share emotions and the cognitive ability to understand the experiences of others. While filmmakers often employ aesthetic techniques—such as close-ups on facial expressions or subjective perspectives—to evoke empathy, the process may differ when the characters are non-human animals. This study investigates how these mechanisms function in relation to animal portrayals in cinema.

The research includes findings from two focus groups with adults who discussed empathy and non-human animals on screen based on on various films, including EO (2022), Babe (1995), Gunda (2020), and Lily Does Derrida (2010). Both anthropomorphizing and non-anthropomorphizing approaches were considered.

The article argues that while anthropomorphic representations can prompt empathetic responses, they also risk reinforcing anthropocentric interpretations. Importantly, the long-term impact on the viewer’s perspective—whether it encourages recognition of interspecies difference and challenges the human-centered gaze—may be more consequential than momentary emotional alignment. The conclusion reflects on the ethical implications of animal representation in film and encourages filmmakers to consider more deliberate and ethically grounded narrative strategies inspired by animal rights thinking.