The Last Dogs Of Winter

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).

"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.

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