Spectacular animation “A Viral Spiral” wins prizes at film festivals around the world
“A Viral Spiral”, a short animated film by the British animation artist Steve Cutts, has been awarded Best Short Animation at the Europe Film Festival. Previously, “A Viral Spiral” had already won prizes at film festivals in Paris, Vienna, Los Angeles, Serbia, Mexico, and India, owing to its current message and probing design. The film, produced by the scientific bureau of the Dutch Party for the Animals, paints a clear picture of the causes of pandemics like COVID-19 and how we can prevent them in the future.
"A Viral Spiral" by Steve Cutts, available in 14 languages (select your language of choice in the YouTube video player settings).
The COVID-19 pandemic is the result of how we treat animals, nature, and the environment. We have to drastically adjust our actions to prevent future pandemics and keep the planet a habitable place. That is the scientifically grounded message of “A Viral Spiral”. The short animation has been shown all around the world at film festivals and is available to view online for free in no less than fourteen languages.
While humans only make up about 0.01% of all life on Earth, the film shows that the amount of wild animals has been reduced by 60%, habitats have been destroyed, species have gone extinct, and ecosystems have been disturbed by our actions. Furthermore, industrial livestock farming, animal transports and the trade in animals, both domesticated and wild, are bringing so many humans and animals into close contact with each other that diseases, new and old, can easily make the jump from one individual to another and spread at an alarming rate.
Virologists have been warning for years that it is not a matter of if, but when, a new and possibly even more deadly pandemic will arise. More and more scientists point to the connection between public health, the way we treat animals, the loss of nature, the climate crisis, and our food system. Reports from Global Forest Watch and the IPBES and research from the universities of Oxford and Harvard show that industrial livestock farming and the production of meat and dairy are the biggest drivers of climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss and the emergence and spread of diseases.
Break through the “Viral Spiral” - join the food revolution!
The Dutch Party for the Animals and the Animal Welfare Party UK demonstrate for a food revolution during the climate summit (COP26) in Glasgow, November 2021.
Just like an ever growing number of scientists, “A Viral Spiral” pleads for a drastic rehaul of our food system. Reduce the consumption of meat and dairy, stop deforestation, protect habitats, ban the trade in wild animals, and take the necessary measures to prevent further climate change, to prevent any further destruction of nature, and to prevent millions of falling victim to future deadly pandemics. This is what the animation’s makers are calling upon governments to do. “Act now. Because there is a world to be won!”
That is also what the Dutch Party for the Animals, along with its sister parties from around the world, commit themselves to do. In local, national and European politics, but outside of the political arena as well. In a joint petition to world leaders which has as of yet been signed by close to 80,000 people, they call for a food revolution: ensure a quick transition to a sustainable, healthy and ethical food system. Sign as well!