Tony Jones, the veteran journalist and former host of ABC's Q+A, has premiered his documentary Sentient at the Sundance Film Festival, a film that delves into the ethics and consequences of animal testing. The documentary, co-written and directed by Jones, features primatologist Dr Lisa Jones-Engel and includes undercover footage of macaques being captured and transported in cramped conditions. Jones, who is married to ABC's 7.30 host Sarah Ferguson, says the film is guided by empathy for both animals and the people who work with them.
From Q+A to Sundance
Jones, 69, met me at the Murray Rose Pool in Double Bay, Sydney, where he often swims. He described Sydney's harbour beaches as "national treasures." He had just returned from Sundance, where Sentient premiered in January. The film was executively produced by Ferguson, marking another collaboration for the couple who met in Paris in the early 90s. They have three sons and have been married for three decades, which Jones says is "remarkably easy" despite occasional tensions over scripts and story directions.
The Making of Sentient
The idea for Sentient originated from a Q+A appearance by ethicist Peter Singer, who controversially compared current animal treatment to slavery. Jones initially planned a six-part series on human treatment of animals but narrowed it to focus on macaques and the supply chain from the wild to US laboratories. The film shows primates kept in cages no bigger than a telephone booth and reveals that 95% of drugs tested on animals fail in human trials. Jones stresses he is not an activist, saying, "I'm very far from being an activist," and that the film allows viewers to make up their own minds.
Personal Reflections and Challenges
Jones, who still eats meat but less than before, calls himself "a work in progress" regarding behaviour change. He avoids social media, citing his "deep abhorrence to everything that Elon Musk stands for." The documentary has faced distribution hurdles, with streaming services like Netflix declining to show it, saying audiences aren't prepared for films with animal suffering. Jones notes the irony: "In a weird way people are more prepared to look at terrible things happening to humans than they are happening to animals."
Sentient screens at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 11 and 13 August, with special screenings in Canberra, Sydney, and Brisbane from 17–21 August, and in select Australian cinemas from 27 August.
