FLICKS.CO.NZ

Archive

Movieslike this one

The Last Dogs Of Winter, Movie

The Last Dogs Of Winter 2011

Trailers
Reviews
Stuff

Documentary on Brian Ladoon who dedicated his life to saving the almost extinct Canadian Eskimo dog, attracting controversy along the way due to his methods. From New Zealand director Costa Botes (Forgotten Silver). More

"The latest documentary Botes explores a Canadian tale, the little known struggle of one man to preserve the Qimmiq dog, the rarest registered breed of dog in the world, from extinction. Our introduction to the story is through Caleb Ross, a young New Zealander who came to Canada for love; when that love went south, Caleb, not knowing what to do but always ready for adventure, travelled north... What was intended as a month long adventure has become an inspiring three year commitment to the dogs and the sanctuary founder, Brian Ladoon.

"In 1976, Ladoon took on the self-imposed task of preserving and breeding Canadian Eskimo dogs... an idiosyncratic raconteur and often combative man, Landoon has sustained a fair share of criticism from a faction of Churchill residents who decry the animals being kept on a barren point of land that intersects with migrating polar bears, and some would refute his knowledge of the breed and his lifetime dedicated to their survival." (Source: Toronto International Film Festival 2012)

Read our Q&A with director Costa Botes. Hide

56 votes / 9 comments The Talk

  • 88 %

    Want to See it

    What say you?

    • Stupid Trailer

      This tells me nothing!

    • Dubwah

      S.T. Maybe you need to see the film?

    • Kirk

      Anything that can stand toe to toe against a polar bear has my respect.

    • Mayo

      Polar bear chillaxing like polar bears do. He's like BRO get me some salmon.

    • LIL

      I'll watch it for the hot dude. I'd roll in the snow with him.

    • Tania

      cant wait to see it, I love the artic breeds

    • Tele335

      Film is a visual medium Stupid Trailer. Learn to read.

    • Michelle

      Looks great - those are some tough dogs

    • Aaron

      Brilliant. See it.

  • CARE TO COMMENT?

    Want to see it?

 

Flicks.co.nz Review

Rating:

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

  • L.A Bowden

    I adopted a Labrador Husky from Labrador & he is a Canadian Eskimo Dog...This documentary will help me better understand Polar!

comment / reply
Liam Maguren Flicks Writer

I can’t fault anyone for feeling as if every kind of animal in the world is under the threat of being totally annihilated. In that perceived sea of global endangerment is the Canadian Eskimo dog, a topic that Kiwi filmmaker Costa Botes and New Zealand actor Caleb Ross (from TV’s The Tribe) believe deserves to be highlighted. More

The documentary is partly a study on the man who has dedicated himself on keeping the species alive, Brian Ladoon. He’s a difficult character to pin down, which serves in the film’s favour for it constantly keeps you thinking about his objectives, his methods and his motivations, and whether you totally agree with any of them.

Botes does a serviceable job drawing attention to the importance of keeping this unique breed from reaching extinction, delivering reasons that go well beyond “because extinction’s not cool.” Yet, despite the intriguingly grim history behind the dogs’ near genocide, the film doesn’t quite make you care about the situation as strongly as it wants to.

But whenever the film started to test my patience or repeat itself, it would play to the “awwwww…” factor, showing a puppy taking a bath or a polar bear hugging a dog. It’s a simple technique that uses the canines’ cuteness to garner some easy sympathy. However, considering it’s the movie’s ultimate objective, I can’t fault it for that. You couldn’t do the same for the Sulawesi Warty Pig. Hide

The People's Reviews

Rating:

1 review

All reviews (1)

  • AGREE? DISAGREE?...

  • Sue Hamilton

    I disagree. I am far more familiar with the history of the Inuit Dog than Botes. The film fills viewers with wrong impressions!

  • Costa Botes

    This film is a character study not a definitive history.

comment / reply

Recommended...

Red Flicks Superstar (?)

Ladoon is a fascinating character, the film is beautifully shot and the topic highlighted will stay with you.

Your rating / review...

Rate it:

Review it:

After submitting your review, you will need to login or signup to Flicks. Don't worry though, we'll keep your review and post it after you're done.

Press Reviews

Variety (USA)

Intimate, gorgeously rendered documentary from Kiwi helmer Costa Botes intelligently surveys Ladoon's quixotic mission, the numerous obstacles he faces, and the uneasy co-existence of man, animal and nature in the small town of Churchill (pop. 873). A wilderness lover's delight... Full review.

Canta

It almost makes one want to go to Manitoba to help these majestic creatures. Full review.

filmsandmore

A good documentary takes you someplace else, introduces you to someone new or gives you something new to think about after you've had your attention occupied for ninety minutes or so. The last dogs of winter does all three. Full review.

National Radio (Graeme Tuckett)

Costa Botes is one of the unsung heroes of NZ documentary making. A man who has toiled and probably has not had the commercial recognition he richly deserves. He has never turned in a less than good film, and this might probably be my favourite of all his documentaries. Full review.

NZ Listener (David Larson)

This is an intimate engagement with an unusual way of life, exploratory, investigative, opening up a mental landscape and also making the most of a glorious physical one: the cinematography is of a very high order. If you’re interested in the question of how good films can be made on a low budget – and it’s a key question for the New Zealand industry – here’s one answer. Full review.

Onfilm (Helen Martin)

Visually gorgeous, with a compelling narrative and a beautiful contemplative soundtrack that perfectly suits the observational style. Full review.