Cracked

Mercy for Animals set out to challenge the comforting myth behind “cage free” eggs, a label many consumers associate with humane farming despite the reality of overcrowded, stressful, and often cruel conditions. Facing skepticism toward traditional advocacy and the need to communicate across cultures without relying on language, the organization needed a new way to expose the truth before “cage free” became accepted as a moral gold standard.

The solution was Cracked, a wordless, three-minute short film that uses visual metaphor and horror-inspired storytelling to reveal hidden suffering. Moving from a dream of freedom into a surreal nightmare, the film shows how everyday food masks systemic cruelty, ending with the simple act of cracking an egg. Handcrafted through a meticulous stop-motion process inspired by egg candling, the tactile animation gives the piece an unsettling realism that makes the message felt rather than explained.