Defining Person is a documentary film that explores the implications of the international movement to change the legal status of chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas and orangutans from property to person in an effort to gain them greater legal protection.

U.S. law defines two types of entities:

   Person: an entity with legal rights (extended to humans and corporations)
   Property: anything that is owned by a person or entity

To say one is a legal person is to say the law recognizes that entity possesses inherent value worthy of protection.

Opinions are varied on either side of this idea. Advocates propose great apes be granted the Right to Life, The Protection of Individual Liberty and The Prohibition of Torture. However, many argue that human interests outweigh animal interests and that animal protection can be maintained sufficiently under current laws.

We are currently raising funds to finish post-production.