Top Dog Film Festival
Man's best friend will be the centre of attention at BCC Cinemas when the inaugural Top Dog Film Festival heads to Darwin.
Festival director and self-confessed dog adorer Jemima Robinson tells us all about what’s in the program and why the festival has been such a hit.
How did the film festival come about?
It all started from one film called Dog Power. It was such a great film and I really loved it, but it only went for 30 minutes. I knew it wasn’t going to get a wide release but thought people really needed to see this film. It made me wonder what other great films about dogs were out there, so we put a call out to filmmakers and dog lovers around the globe.
What was the response from filmmakers?
There were more than 200 entries. The hardest part of the job was choosing which films to put in. There are nine in the festival, including a late entry that we just had to squeeze in.
Dogs are called ‘man’s best friend’ for a good reason – is that evident in the films shown?
We’ve put together a lovely program of films about dogs that really highlight the connection that people have with them and the positive impact they have on us. It’s all about celebration and love because the connection between people and dogs is so emotional.
What other themes emerged from the films entered?
What’s interesting is you find out about the different kind of jobs dogs have. In the films you see there are avalanche rescue dogs, assistance dogs and working dogs like huskies and there’s also a lovely film about wild wolves.
You’ve put the call out for entries for the next festival – what are you hoping for the future?
The response from last year was so good – and now the word is out there we’re getting more and more entries. We do get lots of requests for people to bring their dogs along – so that’s the dream!
Wed 11 Jul | 7-9pm | BCC Cinemas, Darwin | $28 | $18.50 Child
