Featured on our site back in 2008, with post-apocalyptic coming-of-age tale I Love Sarah Jane, Blue-Tongue Films director Spencer Susser has returned to the world of short film for a campaign design to put a stop to animal testing. Released on April 6th 2021, Save Ralph is a four-minute stop-motion centred around a bunny under the illusion he’s just doing his job as a “tester” and features the vocal talents of Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron, Olivia Munn and more.

Presented in the mockumentary style, with Waititi voicing the titular Ralph and Gervais playing the role of interviewer/director, the film follows its partially-sighted, hearing-impaired protagonist as he prepares for another day at work. As he calmly discusses the job he was “born to do” we witness him put through some excruciating tests, all in the name of the beauty.

The short doesn’t pull any punches and though its aesthetic and hint of comedy give it a jovial tone, the impact is real, with the stop-motion adding a sense of authenticity to proceedings. As Susser explains (in the film’s YouTube description): “it’s so important that Ralph feels real because he represents countless real animals who suffer every day.”

Created in collaboration with East London puppet-makers Arch Model Studio (best known for their work with Wes Anderson), for the Humane Society International, you can find out more about the film on the HSI website or join the campaign and sign the pledge to be cruelty-free.