This short but alarming film exposes the impending crisis of antibiotic resistance developing in UK factory farms and more broadly highlights the failings of the industrialised meat industry.

There is a sold-out screening tonight to an audience of 200 people on the evening at The Trampery, Old Street, London but SWINE will also be free to watch, online, from 19.00 here http://www.watchswine.today

The film combines a fictional piece starring two-time World Freerunning Champion, Timothy Shieff, going undercover as a journalist (Jack Tomlins), in a UK factory farm to investigate rumours of a MRSA superbug outbreak in the pig population.

Tim says: “It was great to work on this film, Viva! is an organisation I support and the issue of antibiotic resistance is a very real threat developing right now in factory farms everywhere.”

Speaking ahead of the film release Juliet Gellatley, Director of the charity Viva! Has this to say:”For years the factory farming industry has been lying to us about how they treat animals

“The rise of antibiotic resistance in factory farms is just the latest in a long line of abuses by an unregulated and out of control industry, which needs to be stopped.

“Viva!’s message is that the government knows we are on a cliff edge where antibiotics are concerned. Our politicians are not taking action so we, as a society need to take matters into our own hands by rejecting factory farming and meat and choose instead a vegan diet. We’re hoping this film will be seen by millions and will help us change the world.”

Creators of Swine, Damien Clarkson and Robbie Lockie of the Growing Box added: “Antibiotics have saved thousands of lives every day and the actions of factory farms are making the spectre of an antibiotic resistant future a real possibility”.

 The Facts:

• 60% of all antibiotics sold in the UK are used on farmed animals with 50% of these being used on pigs
• Antibiotic resistant MRSA bacteria has been found in pig meat products sold in the UK
• A new antibiotic resistant gene MCR-1 has developed in the worldwide pig population. It is resistant to Colistin one of our last line of defence drugs against disease. It has been found in pigs across Europe including the UK
• Antibiotic resistance developing in the pig population was discussed in the UK parliament as long ago as 1953.
• The film, directed by Lewis Noll and Remy Archer, has been created by creative studio The Growing Box in support of Viva!’s campaign Faceoff. It combines a dramatised piece with a narrated documentary.