"Beyond Closed Doors", goes behind the rhetoric and politics of agriculture to confront issues in animal welfare that have the potential to affect all Americans. Sandgrain Film's unique approach uses minimal graphic footage of factory farms and drives straight down the center of often polarizing issues. Beyond Closed Doors takes

you on a journey from the ground breaking conference on animal sentience in London, to North Carolina where residents live in fear of the political power of the pork industry and to Arizona where unscrupulous politicians are attempting to rewrite the constitution putting factory farms beyond the reach of the law. Interviews with scientists, veterinarians, farmers, professionals, welfare groups and consumers, illuminate important issues rarely covered in the mainstream media.

Professionals Featured in Beyond Closed Doors

Bernard Rollin Ph.D. is a University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy. He is also a bio-ethicist who introduced the first university course on veterinary ethics. Dr. Rollin is currently a member of the commission studying large scale livestock production for the Pew Charitable Trust.

Temple Grandin Ph.D. designs humane livestock handling systems. She is the author of "Thinking in Pictures" and "Livestock Handling and Transport." Her book "Animals in Translation" was a New York Times best seller. Dr. Grandin is widely considered an expert in welfare and behavior.

Dr. Marc Bekoff Ph.D. (http://literati.net/Bekoff) is Professor of biology at the University of Colorado. He has published many books and essays on animal emotions and well-being including Minding Animals, The Ten Trusts (with Jane Goodall), and Animal Passions and Beastly Virtues. In 2000 Marc and Jane Goodall co-founded Ethologists for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (www.ethologicalethics.org).

Emily Levine DVM MRCVS, is a veterinarian and Board Certified Veterinary Behaviorist. She has published research and has lectured on topics of animal behavior in the US and England.

Vandana Shiva Ph.D. is a physicist, ecologist, activist, editor, and author of many books. In India she has established Navdanya, a movement for biodiversity conservation and farmers' rights. She directs the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Natural Resource Policy.

The Reverend Professor Andrew Linzey, Ph.D., is a member of the Faculty of Theology at the University of Oxford, and is the Director of Animal Ethics at Oxford University. Professor Linzey has written many books on theology, ethics and animal welfare.

Holly Cheever DVM, is an alumna of Harvard University and Cornell Veterinary College. She has assisted law enforcement on cruelty investigations and is a member of the New York Humane Association. Dr. Cheever is currently in private practice. Dr. Cheever is the Vice President of the New York State Humane Association and Association of Veterinarian for Animal Rights.

Mike Appleby has researched and lectured extensively on topics in animal welfare. He has also worked on issues of sustainable agriculture during his time at the Humane Society of the United States. Dr. Appleby is currently a Trade and Welfare Advisor for The World Society for Protection of Animals, based in the UK.

Steven Wise has practiced animal protection law for more than twenty years. He has taught Animal Rights Law at Harvard, Vermont, and John Marshall law schools. His books include "Rattling the Cage", "Drawing the Line" and "Though the Heavens May Fall", and is currently writing a book on farm animals.

John Webster Ph.D. is an eminent veterinary scientist who has significantly advanced the study of farm animal welfare in his books "A Cool Eye Toward Eden" and "Limping Toward Eden." He is an Emeritus Professor of Animal Husbandry, Bristol England.

Mike Hogan holds a Masters in International Management and a Masters in Business Administration. He has taught Economics and International trade on the graduate level for 17 years.

Kari Nienstedt is a animal protection advocate. She has worked at the grassroots level on animal protection campaigns including the humane farms initiative (Proposition 204) in Arizona.

Adele Douglas is the Director of Humane Farm Animal Care, an organization that awards eligible meat producers the Certified Humane Label. HFAC audits it's standards and works with producers to facilitate compliance.

Ann Daniels is the Executive Director of Purchasing for Chipotlle Mexican Grille, a growing fast food restaurant chain, with 525 locations in 25 states.

Bill Niman is the Founder and Chairman of Niman Ranch in Califorina. Niman Ranch began nearly 30 years ago and raises cattle and pigs naturally humanely, and rejects confinement agriculture. They work with over 500 independent family farms who adhere to the Animal Welfare Institute humane standards.

Nicolette Niman is an attorney who has extensive experience in environmental law. As a rancher, she possesses a practical knowledge of farming issues.

Gene Baur (formerly Gene Bauston) is the Co-Founder and President of Farm Sanctuary, a farm animal welfare organization that advocates humane farming practices. Farm Sanctuary has locations in Ithaca NY and Orland CA.

Jeffrey Masson Ph.D. is a former professor of Sanskrit at the University of Toronto. He graduated from the Toronto Psychoanalytic Institute and was Projects Director of the Sigmund Freud Archives for a short time. He has published 23 books, many of them dealing with the emotions of animals.

Joe Tomandl is a third generation dairy farmer. Tomandl Farms like the other producers of Grass Point Farms, sell products from cows that are raised on pasture grasses. Grass Point producers must also adhere to a set of humane standards set by Humane Farm Animal Care.

Nicholas D'Agostino III operates D'Agostino's supermarkets in New York. This American success story, built on hard work and perseverance, began in 1932 during the great depression. Almost 75 years later the supermarket chain of 23 stores, is still in the D'Agostino family.