The film aims to inspire compassion for farmed animals through the heartwarming real-life story of a rescued chicken

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercy For Animals will celebrate the world premiere of its new animated short film "Henrietta Finds a Nest" on Oct. 20. The film was directed by Hannah McNally and produced by the Emmy-winning team at Mighty Oak Studios, known for their beautiful work in stop-motion and mixed-media animation.

Based on a real-life story, "Henrietta Finds a Nest" follows Henrietta, a young chicken who escapes neglect at a factory farm and finds friendship and safety with a little girl named Andrea. With tender moments, gentle humor and a timeless message of belonging, the film invites audiences to embrace the magic of friendship and the power of empathy.

Henrietta's journey serves as a powerful message of hope and a call to raise awareness about the harsh realities of factory farming. Through Henrietta's story, Mercy For Animals aims to show the beauty and individuality of farmed animals, illustrating the joyful lives they can lead when free from industrial animal agriculture.

"Henrietta Finds a Nest" is inspired by the true story of Henrietta's friendship with the daughter of Mercy For Animals CEO Leah Garcés. In 2022, The Dodo shared Henrietta's poignant journey in a powerful video that has amassed over 3 million views across platforms, inspiring conversations about respect for farmed animals.

Actor and entrepreneur Daniella Monet served as one of the film's executive producers, along with Garcés, Matthew Scheer, Michaela Olsen, Emily Collins and Daniel Shepard. "Henrietta Finds a Nest" has also received endorsements from more than 20 prominent public figures, including Mayim Bialik, Persia White, Joseph Morgan, Alexandra Paul, Marco Antonio Regil and Tara Strong.

"As a mom, I want to teach my kids that love and kindness know no boundaries — they extend to all beings," said Monet. "Henrietta Finds a Nest beautifully captures that message. It's a reminder that everyone, no matter how small, deserves compassion. Through this film, I hope we inspire families to create a kinder world for both animals and people."

The film has won several awards, including the Best of Fest award at the BamKids Film Festival and best animation at the Venice Shorts Film Awards. "Henrietta Finds a Nest" has been selected for a number of film festivals worldwide, including several Oscar-qualifying ones. Among the festivals are the Nantucket Film Festival, Montclair, Brooklyn Film Festival, Chicago REEL Shorts Film Festival, HollyShorts Film Festival and Bengaluru International Short Film Festival.

Henrietta's story is a testament to the transformative power of compassion. By showing kindness and empathy toward animals, people can experience profound personal growth and gain a deeper connection to the world around them. Mercy For Animals believes that Henrietta's story will encourage people to recognize the impact of their food choices and join the movement toward a more compassionate food system.

The global premiere will be on Oct. 20 on Mercy For Animals' YouTube channel. Additionally, the film will be shown at two exclusive in-person screenings in New York on Sept. 12 and Los Angeles on Oct. 18 before the online premiere.

For more information about the film, visit HenriettaFilm.com. For media assets, to schedule an interview or RSVP for a screening, contact Jameka S. Whitten at jameka.whitten@mercyforanimals.org.

Mercy For Animals is a leading international nonprofit working to end industrial animal agriculture by constructing a just and sustainable food system. Active in Brazil, Canada, India, Mexico, Southeast Asia and the United States, the organization has conducted over 100 investigations of factory farms and slaughterhouses, influenced over 500 corporate policies and helped pass historic legislation to ban cages for farmed animals. Learn more at MercyForAnimals.org.

Mighty Oak Studios is an Emmy-nominated, Clio Award-winning, woman- and queer-owned creative studio based in NYC. Founded in 2015, the studio specializes in stop-motion, 2-D, and mixed-media animation and has created award-winning branded, nonfiction, and episodic content for Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Adult Swim, Nick Jr., and TruTV. Mighty Oak's first original short film, "Under Covers," premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and landed an IndieWire feature as one of Sundance's "must-see gems." In addition to TV and film projects, Mighty Oak's commercial work has garnered billions of views across digital platforms for clients such as Conde Nast, the New York Times, Coca-Cola, Samsung, GE, Etsy, Airbnb, and TED Talks — earning the studio a spot on Fast Company's "Most Creative People in Business" list.

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SOURCE Mercy For Animals