Autopsie D’un Sacrifice (Autopsy of a Sacrifice)

Shortly before his death, anti-vivisection pioneer Hans Ruesch spoke briefly of a French documentary about vivisection that he hoped would eventually be circulated. However, it was only after his death that we eventually got to see the film, after we received a box of his videos and reels of cine film thanks to the assistance of his son, Hans Ruesch Jr, in accordance with the wishes of his late father. All of the worthwhile material we received has since been converted into a digital format and added to our website, with the exception of the film Hans had spoken about some months earlier.

The 60 minute film, Autopsie D’un Sacrifice (Autopsy of a Sacrifice), was made in 1981 by French journalist, producer and television director, Allain Bougrain-Dubourg. The copy on VHS tape we received displays the CIVIS name in the bottom right hand corner of the screen throughout. This is not on the reels of cine film which are also in our possession, suggesting that the CIVIS logo was added either prior to a television broadcast, of which the tape recording we received from Hans is a copy of, or perhaps more likely that the logo was added by Hans’ CIVIS organisation after the TV broadcast, perhaps with the intention of it being circulated by CIVIS at some future time.

Brief synopsis of Autopsy of a Sacrifice:

The numbers of animals used in laboratories in France, the USA and the UK; A brief history of animal experimentation, from the early days of the Greeks, Romans and Egyptians, to the present day; Animals used in the space programme; An interview with a breeder of dogs used in research; The use of dogs in a French hospital; The use of animals in drug research; The business of breeding rats for research, and the various ways in which they are used; Interview with a pharmacologist horrified by what she witnessed in her student days; Guinea-pigs used to test the effects of industrial noise; Rats used in tobacco testing; The use of cats in research; Interview with the notorious Professor Jose Delgado and his research on primates; The capture of monkeys in the wild for use in laboratories; Professor Delgado and his research at controlling bulls through brain implants; Vivisection on a penguin; Testing on rabbits; Discussion about cell cultures and how this has reduced animal testing; The use of animals in automobile crash testing.

We know little about the history of the film, and it is hoped that at some stage our French colleagues who have worked with us on this might track down the film’s makers in order to clarify the situation.

However, we feel that it is unlikely that Hans had any involvement with the making of the film himself, firstly because no mention is made of him or his CIVIS organisation in the film’s credits, and secondly because we feel that it is highly unlikely that he would have collaborated on any project that basically – at least on a scientific level to some degree – justifies the use of animals in research. And this, like most documentaries on vivisection, is where the film falls down – that there is virtually no condemnation of vivisection as a method of research.

Taking into account the fact that ‘Autopsie’ does not challenge vivisection on a scientific front, one might just ask the question why Hans put his name to such a film, and advocated its distribution. We believe that there are two reasons: firstly, in an area of animal abuse where the filmed evidence is particularly hard to come by, this film shows graphically what vivisection means from the viewpoint of the animals  - and let us not forget that Hans was a great animal lover - and secondly, that through his own words and actions it shows the mind-set of the vivisector himself. For these two reasons the film is perhaps unique, and which is probably why Hans was most keen to see it revived.

The logical question is, of course, why didn’t Hans ever do anything with the film, as his CIVIS logo suggests he might have been planning on doing? Other than perhaps the expense of doing so, or possible problems regarding copyright, the answer is more likely to lie in the simple fact that it would be only a short while after this film was made that the now defunct US anti-vivisection group SUPRESS made the ground-breaking film Hidden Crimes, which includes several excerpts from ‘Autopsy’.

Despite the one negative aspect of the film, we believe that it is a valuable and worthwhile weapon against vivisection, and so in accordance with Hans Ruesch’s wishes we have secured the rights to show the film, and to distribute it on DVD, to which English subtitles have now been added. We have included in the opening introduction the recommendation that the film is viewed in conjunction with our own production, Bad Medicine, in order that the viewer is made aware of the fact that there are strong and compelling arguments against vivisection on medical and scientific grounds, and in regards to this Bad Medicine will also be included on the same disc.

As a member of the Friends of Guenady and the Professionels de la Formation Continue, we have secured the right to distribute the DVD of the film to members of the Hans Ruesch Centre, and at present that right exists until the Summer of 2009. The good news is that membership is free of charge.

How to become a member of the Hans Ruesch Centre

Simply email us at info@vivisectionfraud.com requesting to be added to our membership list, and supplying your name and address so that we can send you the DVD.  Your details will not be sent to anyone else, but please note that membership and supply of the disc is entirely at our discretion, and that as a member you are likely to receive occasional updates from us by email.

Also, if you would like us to send you a copy of ‘Autopsie’ without the subtitles at the same time please let us know.

Can we please ask that you circulate this information to other individuals or groups, urging them to join and to receive their copy of the two films. The internet reaches many people through websites, news groups, forums, mailing lists, discussion boards, etc, and we are confident that many people can be made aware of this film. Also, paste our web banner onto your web site if you have one.

Finally, please show the film to people, whether small groups in your home or to larger audiences. Thank you for your support, and we look forward to receiving your request for membership shortly.