Captured
- 2026
- USA
- Duration:
- 83 mins
Overview
Wildlife photos we often see in the media aren’t always what they seem. Captured is an investigative thriller that follows an unlikely alliance between two rivals: a former head trainer at a profitable wildlife game farm and the photographer who spent years trying to shut it down. Together, they uncover the hidden industry behind iconic and staged wildlife imagery, which can come at a cost to the animals we love.
Production Team
- Directors
- Katie Schuler
- Nick Rogacki
Festival Screenings
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Wild Without Walls
stand against staged wildlife imagery of captive animals and support ethical and transparent storytelling.
Not every wildlife photograph was taken in the wild. Across the world, commercial facilities keep big cats, wolves, bears, and other wild animals in captivity so photographers and filmmakers can purchase access to staged encounters. This isn’t rare. Thousands of images and videos we see every day are sold, shared, and celebrated as if they were captured in nature. They were not. The animal in the frame—presented as wild—may have never known freedom, and the content created often supports a cycle of exploitation and neglect. We must stop liking, sharing, buying, creating, or commissioning these images.