Park Slope Couple Celebrates Canine Companions With New Film

PARK SLOPE, BROOKLYN — For Park Slope filmmakers Matthew Salleh and Rose Tucker, their latest documentary film "WE DON'T DESERVE DOGS" is about much more than a celebration of the world's favorite pet.

The documentary, spanning 11 countries, may feature the furry companions at its core, but the questions it poses are of the human, not canine, variety.

“In making this film, we wanted to explore not only the loving loyalty our four-legged friends give us, but also truly ponder the question of whether we, as humans, deserve the love that dogs can give,” Salleh said. “We Don’t Deserve Dogs became about so much more than capturing the heart and soul of dogs around the world. It has become a way for us to express our view of humanity, in all its faults and virtues.”

WE DON'T DESERVE DOGS, originally scheduled to be unveiled at the cancelled South by Southwest festival last year, premiered online on Friday.

Its release comes after critical acclaim at festivals later in 2020, including the Warsaw Film Festival, Miami Film Festival GEMS, and the Brisbane International Film Festival.

The cinematic tribute to dogs is the second feature documentary for Salleh and Tucker, who are Australian born but have been based in Park Slope for the last five years. It was produced by their company, Urtext Films.

The film features intimate portraits of everyday people and their dogs around the world, all filmed pre-pandemic.

"From a well-loved street dog in Santiago, Chile, to a day of dog worship in Nepal, to former child soldiers in Uganda working with dogs to relieve their trauma, the film is a celebration of the love and loyalty of our canine companions," the filmmakers said in a release.

Check out a trailer below and find the film on its website here.