Filmmaker Keith Hopkin’s short film about dogs and cats is built on one simple idea: animals live completely in the moment. His camera follows them as they bound through snow-covered fields, dive into swimming pools and chase birds, and the result is a few minutes of pure, unhurried joy that leaves most dog owners wanting to go home and hug their own.
Keith Hopkin’s film for Petcurean
The film was commissioned by Petcurean, a Canadian pet-food company, and premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York, as reported by Petfood Industry. Hopkin shot it in two very different landscapes: the snowy farm fields and trails of upstate New York, and the pools and sunshine of Southern California.
The phrase that ties it together, “savor every moment”, became the theme of Petcurean’s campaign, which invited owners to share their own stories, photos and videos of their pets. When the dog-lifestyle site iHeartDogs shared the film in 2015, it summed it up as a reminder of “the simple and confident way that our pets savor every single moment in life”.
Snow, water and slow motion
The film’s strength is its patience. Hopkin lets the camera stay with dogs racing across snow-covered fields and trails, swimming and diving into pools, and cats playing and chasing birds, and slow motion turns these everyday scenes into something close to choreography. There is no plot to follow: the animals carry the film on their own, and the contrast between a New York winter and California sunshine keeps the pace changing.
Hopkin can be found on Twitter and Facebook.
Tips for snow days with your dog
For snow days with your own dog, the ASPCA’s cold-weather advice is a good checklist:
- Look after the paws. A vet-approved paw balm or dog booties protect pads from salt and de-icing chemicals. Wash and dry feet and belly after each walk and check for cracks.
- Towel off straight away. Dry your dog as soon as you come in, paying attention to the spaces between the toes.
- Keep the coat working. Avoid shaving down to the skin in winter; trim long fur between the toes to prevent ice balls, and give short-haired dogs a well-fitting coat.
- Use a lead in snowstorms. Snow can mask familiar scents, and dogs lose their way more easily, so keep an ID tag on the collar.
- Feed and water well. Active dogs burn more energy in the cold and need plenty of fresh water.
For more animal stories, read about Millie and Craig Armstrong’s companionship, compare the different storytelling of an animal advert, or watch David Attenborough’s Wonderful World Nature Montage.
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