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Canine
Groundbreaking Irish-Namibian Co-Production, to Premiere Internationally at Tribeca Festival 2024
There’s a new weapon in the fight against poaching
Co-produced between Ireland and Namibia - First Namibian film selected for Tribeca
Directed by Irish filmmaker Paul Webster, film follows the life of AK, an elite tracking dog
AK is trained to protect endangered Black Rhinos from ruthless poachers in Africa
Screenings at Tribeca on June 6th, 11th, 15th and 16th
29 May 2024: Canine, an impactful short film co-produced between Ireland and Namibia, has been officially selected for its international premiere at the Tribeca Festival 2024. This marks a significant milestone as it is the first Namibian film ever selected for the festival.
Canine - There’s a new weapon in the fight against poaching
Conservation has become a war. On one side are the rangers protecting vulnerable wildlife. On the other, ruthless poaching gangs. Half a world away, in a windswept valley in Cork, Ireland, Rory Hennebry is an elite dog trainer who wants to use his skills to help the situation. Tracking dogs are an extremely effective weapon against poachers.
Directed, produced, and written by Irish filmmaker Paul Webster, Canine traces the remarkable journey of an elite tracking dog trained in Ireland to combat illegal poaching in Africa.
The documentary follows AK, a Belgian Malinois pup. It focuses on AK’s rigorous training in Ireland and his journey to Namibia to play a critical role in protecting endangered black rhinos from ruthless poachers.
Reaching Africa, trainer Hennerbry only has two weeks to complete the handover process with AK's new handler, Faan Oosthuizen - head of an anti-poaching strike force.
The film is shot purposely from AK’s perspective so that the audience is fully immersed and witnesses the fight to stop illegal poaching from his eyes. With rhino numbers dwindling and poaching incidents increasing year on year, the rhinos need all the help they can get.
The genesis Of Canine & full feature development
The idea for the film came when Webster read an article about Hennebry, and his plan to bring an elite tracking dog from Ireland out to help protect rhinos from poaching in Africa.
The documentary broaches broader themes including humanity’s deep connection to animals like dogs, which is in conflict with the sometimes tenuous and uncaring connection to endangered animals. The film's narrative seeks to use the bond between humans and an elite tracking dog as a way to urge for stronger connections and conservation efforts for endangered species.
The film has already gained much momentum at a number of film festivals, debuting at the Galway Film Fleadh and winning the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Cork International Film Festival in Ireland.
The development of the feature film is in collaboration with Igloo Films and has attracted international co-producers, driven by the short's success to date. Planning is already underway for a forthcoming feature-length version, expanding on the themes and narrative introduced in this short.
Tribeca Festival Screenings:
Thursday, June 6, 8.15pm at AMC 19th St. East 6 - Premiere
Thursday, June 6, 11.15pm at AMC 19th St. East 6 -Press/Industry Screening 1
Tuesday, June 11, 5.15pm at AMC 19th St. East 6
Saturday, June 15, 12.15pm at AMC 19th St. East 6
Sunday June 16, 10.30am at AMC 19th St. East 6
About the Director
Paul Webster is an Irish documentary filmmaker driven to make entertaining, fun and touching films about real people that connect with audiences in a meaningful way. To date, he has made successful shorts and TV projects that explore a rich variety of subjects from sports and music to nature and politics. His short, The Vasectomy Doctor was nominated for an Irish Film Academy Award and won 20 awards around Ireland and abroad.
Paul recently finished a feature documentary on the housing crisis in Ireland and his latest short film Canine won the Audience Award for Best Short Film at The Cork International Film Festival and was selected for Tribeca Film Festival 2024. There is now interest from a number of international streaming platforms in acquiring the film and Paul is developing this project into a feature film as well as several exciting new documentaries and series.
Canine. Ireland and Namibia, 2024. In English. Written, directed and produced by: Paul Webster; Associate Producer: Shane Hogan; Sound Recording: Dean Murray; Cinematographer: Keith Pendred; Editor: David Keeling; Composer: Gerry Horan. Cast: Gouse, Gammo, Divia, Rory Hennebry, Faan Oosthuizen.
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