"i am an animal" was directed by matthew galkin. the film includes a personal perspective on the life of ingrid newkirk and her daily routine of balancing her own life and protecting the life of animals. it exposes her willingness to go to the extreme in her fight for animal rights. due to her commitment and dedication to the fight for ethical treatment of animals, ingrid newkirk illustrates why peta is one of the most successful animal rights organization. matthew galkin was asked in an interview why he chose to film this documentary, and he claimed that it was a classic david and goliath story of advocating on the behalf of animals. he wanted to raise awareness and encourage animal rights activism.