Coming Soon
A Case For Freedom
As elephants remain confined in plain sight, a legal battle asks whether freedom is reserved only for humans.
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A Case for Freedom asks whether freedom is reserved only for humans. Angeline, Savanna, Tasha, Victoria, and Zuri are five African elephants living in captivity at the Pittsburgh Zoo. In 2026, a Pennsylvania court dismissed a landmark habeas corpus petition filed on their behalf by the Nonhuman Rights Project, concluding that elephants are not legal persons. The case is now on appeal.
For the first time in U.S. history, courts are being asked whether elephants have a right to bodily liberty—and whether lifelong captivity can be justified. The answer could shape the lives of captive elephants across the country for decades.
A feature documentary by Species Unite, the film follows the legal team challenging the status quo while documenting the lives of the elephants at the center of the case. It also looks beyond the U.S., highlighting Argentina’s shift away from zoos and Brazil’s elephant sanctuary as working alternatives.
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Photo of a Zuri at the Pittsburgh Zoo. Photo by Molly Condit
How you can help
Please join us in demanding freedom and reunification for Angeline, Savanna, Tasha, Victoria, and Zuri. No more elephants should be born just to die behind bars.
