When The Meatrix (http://www.themeatrix.com/) launched in November 2003, the viral film broke new ground in online grassroots advocacy, creating a unique vehicle by which to educate, entertain and motivate people to create change. The Meatrix has been translated into more than 30 languages and is now the most successful online advocacy film ever with well over 15 million viewers worldwide.

The Meatrix is a four-minute online animation that spoofs The Matrix movies while educating viewers about the problems with factory farming and today's meat and dairy supplies. The film is a humorous and creative satire that uses pop culture and entertainment to educate viewers about the food they eat and where it comes from.  The film features three superhero farm animals including Leo, the young pig who wonders if he is "the one", Chickity, the feathered family farm defender, and Moopheus, the trench-coat-clad cow with a passion for green pastures.

The movie website links to Sustainable Table (http://www.sustainabletable.org/) and the Eat Well Guide (http://www.eatwellguide.org/), which offer information on the issues surrounding factory farming, as well as alternatives to conventionally-raised meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs.  The Meatrix website also features The Meatrix 360° interactive feature (www.themeatrix.com/interactive). Roll a cursor over objects on a factory farm and the surrounding area to discover what the issues are; click on the objects for more in-depth information.

Background: In early 2003, Free Range Studios awarded a grant to GRACE's Sustainable Table program to create a Flash animation. The studio was impressed that Sustainable Table not only educated viewers about factory farming but also offered simple solutions to support sustainable food and agriculture - including the Eat Well Guide, an online directory of sustainable meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from farms, stores, restaurants, and other outlets in the United States and Canada.

The Meatrix has received worldwide critical acclaim and has been honored with more than a dozen major film and Web awards, including the prestigious Webby Award, Annecy International Animated Film Festival Award, South by Southwest Interactive Award, and Environmental Media Association's Best Documentary Short Film award, among others. In response to the overwhelming public response, Sustainable Table and Free Range Studios launched the sequel The Meatrix II: Revolting in March 2006, to explore the dark side of the industrial dairy industry. And in November 2006, in partnership with Participant Productions, The Meatrix II 1/2 was released to help promote the social action campaign around the Fast Food Nation movie and to show what happens inside a meat processing facility.

Since its launch, The Meatrix has been shown at festivals, conferences, meetings, events, and local gatherings, while thousands of DVDs have been distributed to teachers, students, parents, and individuals worldwide.