|
Forever Faithful is a documentary that explores the extraordinary connection between humans and their dogs. A little girl's best friend, her dog, is diagnosed with bone cancer. The film follows her journey as she tries to understand both the causes of canine cancer and the advanced treatments available to her dog. Several dogs are introduced along the way with their own stories of resilience, survival and service to their communities. This true story is a must see for anyone who has shared their life with a dog.
|
|
|
FILMMAKER
|
Angie Ruiz
Writer/Director/Producer Angie Ruiz is the writer, director and producer of Black Beauty Breed, a film that celebrates the intelligence and inherent working abilities of the Rottweiler breed. She fell in love with the breed after rescuing a Rottweiler in 2007. She created the film to give the Rottweiler a fair and more balanced portrayal in the media. The film screened in multiple cities worldwide and garnered domestic and international distribution. Black Beauty Breed has played an active role in redefining the Rottweiler’s image in the media. Accurate terms such as “working breed” and “intelligent” are now more commonly used when describing them. During the filming of Black Beauty Breed, Ruiz learned that the Rottweiler and other large breed dogs are prone to bone cancer. She was deeply affected when her own dog was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma. She created Forever Faithful to help raise canine cancer awareness and support canine cancer research initiatives. |
|
CAST
|
|
|
|
|
|
LETTER TO THE AUDIENCE
A few things you should know before watching this film.
The Rottweiler and other large breed dogs like the Great Dane, German Shepherd, Doberman Pincher, Irish Setter, Bernese Mountain Dog, Mastiff, and Golden Retriever are prone to a type of bone cancer called Osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma can affect any breed, but it’s most common in large breeds.
While making this film, I learned so much about canine cancer and the advanced treatments available. It was information I wish I would have known a few years ago when my dog was diagnosed with bone cancer. Looking back, I wonder if I could have prevented my dog from getting bone cancer. I wonder if I made the right choices about his treatments. I wish I could have caught the tumor earlier. The reason I made this film was to share the information I learned to help dog owners make more informed decisions than the ones I made. I also wanted to tell the stories of the beautiful dogs that are featured in the film. Some have cancer, some overcame cancer, some have disabilities that have nothing to do with cancer, and some are just doing amazing things for the world and bringing happiness to everyone who meets them.
Making this film was cathartic for me in many ways. I know how important dogs are to the people who have them. One of my favorite quotes in the film is by a lifelong Rottweiler owner who says “If you’ve ever had a friend who was always there, who didn’t judge you, who wanted to be with you and do things with you and was always happy to be around you, that’s how I would describe these dogs to people who don’t own dogs”. I couldn’t agree more.
I hope you enjoy the film. I promise it is not all sad! There is a very positive message in the end. If you are a dog owner, I made this film for you.
Love and light,
Angie
The Rottweiler and other large breed dogs like the Great Dane, German Shepherd, Doberman Pincher, Irish Setter, Bernese Mountain Dog, Mastiff, and Golden Retriever are prone to a type of bone cancer called Osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma can affect any breed, but it’s most common in large breeds.
While making this film, I learned so much about canine cancer and the advanced treatments available. It was information I wish I would have known a few years ago when my dog was diagnosed with bone cancer. Looking back, I wonder if I could have prevented my dog from getting bone cancer. I wonder if I made the right choices about his treatments. I wish I could have caught the tumor earlier. The reason I made this film was to share the information I learned to help dog owners make more informed decisions than the ones I made. I also wanted to tell the stories of the beautiful dogs that are featured in the film. Some have cancer, some overcame cancer, some have disabilities that have nothing to do with cancer, and some are just doing amazing things for the world and bringing happiness to everyone who meets them.
Making this film was cathartic for me in many ways. I know how important dogs are to the people who have them. One of my favorite quotes in the film is by a lifelong Rottweiler owner who says “If you’ve ever had a friend who was always there, who didn’t judge you, who wanted to be with you and do things with you and was always happy to be around you, that’s how I would describe these dogs to people who don’t own dogs”. I couldn’t agree more.
I hope you enjoy the film. I promise it is not all sad! There is a very positive message in the end. If you are a dog owner, I made this film for you.
Love and light,
Angie
THE TEAM
Allan Holzman - A.C.E. Editor
As director and editor of Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Holocaust, Allan won two Emmy Awards and a Peabody. His narrative feature Intimate Stranger is Showtime’s highest rated movie and his documentaries Old Man River and Sounds of Memphis earned a combined eight best documentary film awards and an American Cinema Editor Eddie Award and nomination. Allan was also nominated for an Eddie for Apollo 11. He teaches film editing at USC School of Cinematic Arts and served for nearly a decade on the American Cinema Editors Board, creating the annual event Invisible Art/Visible Artists, featuring the Academy Award Best Editor nominees.
As director and editor of Steven Spielberg’s Survivors of the Holocaust, Allan won two Emmy Awards and a Peabody. His narrative feature Intimate Stranger is Showtime’s highest rated movie and his documentaries Old Man River and Sounds of Memphis earned a combined eight best documentary film awards and an American Cinema Editor Eddie Award and nomination. Allan was also nominated for an Eddie for Apollo 11. He teaches film editing at USC School of Cinematic Arts and served for nearly a decade on the American Cinema Editors Board, creating the annual event Invisible Art/Visible Artists, featuring the Academy Award Best Editor nominees.
Kevin Andrews - Cinematographer
As a Director of Photography, Kevin has lensed commercials for History Channel, Bayer, Amtrak, Honda, and Samsung among others. As a Camera Operator and Steadicam Operator, Kevin has lensed commercials for AT&T, GMC, Macy's, NFL, Cabela's, Cinch, Merrell, Dell, Southwest Airlines, Comcast, History Channel and National Geographic to name a few.
Corey Parsons - Cinematographer
Corey Parsons is a freelance cinematographer in Los Angeles. Originally from the Midwest, he studied film at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He moved out to Southern California shortly after graduating and has been pursuing cinematography ever since. He works on feature films, shorts, music videos, commercials, and documentaries. Corey loves dogs and had a fantastic time working on this movie, and hopes to someday have his own canine companion.
Lincoln Lewis - Cinematographer
Lincoln is an accomplished cinematographer who began working in the industry as a gaffer lighting feature films, documentaries, music videos and commercials. He has worked for diverse clients such as Victoria's Secret, Disney, Verizon, Boeing and many others. Lincoln was also one of the cinematographers for the documentary feature, Black Beauty Breed.
Gabriel Gely - Cinematographer
Gabriel Gely was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He has worked as cinematographer on a variety of feature films, commercials, and documentaries. He was also one of the cinematographers for the documentary feature, Black Beauty Breed.
Bobby Tahouri - Composer
Bobby Tahouri is an award-winning composer who has worked on a long and varied list of films, television shows and video games. His recent projects include the Netflix film Girlfriend’s Day, directed by long time collaborator Michael Stephenson, and starring and produced by Bob Odenkirk. Tahouri is currently composing the score for Nickelodeon’s highly rated animated series Shimmer and Shine, and recently composed the score for the hit video game Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Tahouri has provided additional music and arrangements for many high profile projects, including Iron Man, Clash of the Titans, Disturbia, and HBO’s Game of Thrones.
He’s also composed the scores for the critically acclaimed documentaries Best Worst Movie and The American Scream. Tahouri’s music has also been licensed and heard on Key & Peele, Inside Amy Schumer, Saturday Night Live, NBC News, Shark Tank, among many other programs and networks.
As a Director of Photography, Kevin has lensed commercials for History Channel, Bayer, Amtrak, Honda, and Samsung among others. As a Camera Operator and Steadicam Operator, Kevin has lensed commercials for AT&T, GMC, Macy's, NFL, Cabela's, Cinch, Merrell, Dell, Southwest Airlines, Comcast, History Channel and National Geographic to name a few.
Corey Parsons - Cinematographer
Corey Parsons is a freelance cinematographer in Los Angeles. Originally from the Midwest, he studied film at the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He moved out to Southern California shortly after graduating and has been pursuing cinematography ever since. He works on feature films, shorts, music videos, commercials, and documentaries. Corey loves dogs and had a fantastic time working on this movie, and hopes to someday have his own canine companion.
Lincoln Lewis - Cinematographer
Lincoln is an accomplished cinematographer who began working in the industry as a gaffer lighting feature films, documentaries, music videos and commercials. He has worked for diverse clients such as Victoria's Secret, Disney, Verizon, Boeing and many others. Lincoln was also one of the cinematographers for the documentary feature, Black Beauty Breed.
Gabriel Gely - Cinematographer
Gabriel Gely was born and raised in Puerto Rico. He has worked as cinematographer on a variety of feature films, commercials, and documentaries. He was also one of the cinematographers for the documentary feature, Black Beauty Breed.
Bobby Tahouri - Composer
Bobby Tahouri is an award-winning composer who has worked on a long and varied list of films, television shows and video games. His recent projects include the Netflix film Girlfriend’s Day, directed by long time collaborator Michael Stephenson, and starring and produced by Bob Odenkirk. Tahouri is currently composing the score for Nickelodeon’s highly rated animated series Shimmer and Shine, and recently composed the score for the hit video game Rise of the Tomb Raider.
Tahouri has provided additional music and arrangements for many high profile projects, including Iron Man, Clash of the Titans, Disturbia, and HBO’s Game of Thrones.
He’s also composed the scores for the critically acclaimed documentaries Best Worst Movie and The American Scream. Tahouri’s music has also been licensed and heard on Key & Peele, Inside Amy Schumer, Saturday Night Live, NBC News, Shark Tank, among many other programs and networks.
