Ronan Power takes the bull by the horns in his review of World Without Cows.
Filmed over three years, across 40 locations in 22 countries and five continents, World Without Cows is an ambitious, visually striking, and thought-provoking documentary that explores the environment, climate change and, ultimately, humanity’s place within the natural world. This is examined through our relationship with one animal we have relied upon for thousands of years: the cow.
In an age of social media, AI, clickbait-fuelled headlines, and the catch-all slur 'fake news', it can be difficult to know which information to trust. World Without Cows investigates a number of assumptions and o how cattle have increasingly been portrayed as one of the villains responsible for emissions, pollution, and even poor health.
Award-winning journalists Michelle Michael and Brandon Whitworth spent years travelling the world, filming across a remarkable variety of climates and environments to examine the complex science and potentially important role cattle can play in the future of our environment and food systems.
The production team consisted entirely of Michelle and Brandon, who were making their first long-form documentary, produced and entirely funded by Dr Mark Lyons, CEO of agricultural company Alltech. Michelle comes from a news journalism background and has worked as a warzone combat correspondent, while Brandon’s background is in television news journalism, where he is used to jumping into action at a moment’s notice. Those skills proved invaluable for a project of this scale, and together they face a remarkable series of challenges. From COVID restrictions and testing to power and battery failures in remote locations, and even having their equipment stolen at one point, this was an intensive labour of love.
Visually, World Without Cows boasts many breathtaking sequences. Sweeping drone photography combine with lenses that get right down in the mud and soil and into the everyday lives of the people featured. The American countryside, India, Kenya, and... Waterford are all captured in spectacular detail, accompanied by a subtle and atmospheric musical score. Over 81 minutes, scientists and environmental experts explore the complex science of our planet, soil and food systems, alongside farmers and people from very different backgrounds who share their experiences of the land and their relationships with cattle.
There is also an important caveat to note: the film is funded entirely by the agricultural industry, and its arguments could be viewed as supportive of cattle farming and beef consumption. Whether you agree with all of the film’s conclusions or not, World Without Cows makes a strong fact-based argument, and certainly gives audiences plenty of cud to chew. Moves at a steady pace, the journey moves from country to country, with each interview effectively forming its own chapter. The filmmakers are a presence in the narrative themselves and ensure the focus stays on the human story.
Michelle Michael and Brandon Whitworth have created a fascinating and visually accomplished documentary that challenges perceptions while offering a fresh perspective on food, farming and our relationship with the earth.
Available in more than 25 languages, World Without Cows had its theatrical world premiere in Dublin on 9th September 2026, before moving on to screenings in London, Los Angeles and New York.
The film will embark on a theatrical tour across selected cities in the USA, South America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Through a partnership with Gathr, communities can also request their own screening and bring the film to a local theatre.
