Does film contain gelatin?

Unfortunately, we do not know of any film that is made without gelatin. Over the years, PETA has pressured film manufacturers to find a gelatin substitute, and while Kodak and Fuji have researched non-animal alternatives, they still claim that they cannot replace animal gelatin in film.

However, both of these companies and many others now offer digital cameras, which capture images on a disk and print them through a computer without the use of film.

Today, PETA primarily uses digital cameras and images. Our members, others who send us photos, and agencies like the Associated Press—from which we sometimes purchase photos—also use mostly digital cameras. In the past, however, there was little choice, and we made the decision to use film—with the knowledge that it contained gelatin—to document cruelty (e.g., in the case of the Silver Springs monkeys) and to educate people. It was an imperfect decision, but we felt that, ultimately, taking photos with film served the greater good by bringing the plight of animals into the public eye.

PETA does not actively campaign against watching movies or taking photographs for pleasure, but we do encourage you to write to film manufacturers and movie studios about your concerns and encourage them to implement alternatives to gelatin.

In recent years, the movie industry appears to be undergoing a revolutionary change toward digital filming. The new Star Wars movies, for example, were shot digitally. If theaters follow suit by switching to digital systems, movies of the future may no longer need to be transferred to film at all.

We believe that animals are not here for human use, and we promote a vegan lifestyle. We also recognize that, unfortunately, it is impossible to be entirely vegan. Although changes are taking place with almost everything, there are animal products and/or animal tests wrapped up in everything from our wallboard, paints, and car tires to the asphalt we drive on.

Ultimately, we encourage people to make choices that will have the most positive impact for animals.