(courtesy IMDb (c) Shad Lee Bradbury)
SNAPSHOT
A young boy and his dog in the rice fields of Cambodia encounter an unmoving obstacle that will bring their love to light in this endearing story between best friends. [Directed by] Shad Bradbury [who] has worked in animation for over 20 years. He has worked as an animator at studios like Pixar, Sony, Tippet, and Rhythm and Hues. Some of the better known credits include Lightyear, Coco, Finding Dory, Inside Out, Hotel Transylvania, and Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2. Run Totti Run is his directorial debut. (courtesy Bend Film Festival)
Oh my heart but this animated gem of a short film absolutely carries ALL the feels with it.
Created by longtime animator Shad Lee Bradbury as a tribute to his beloved dog Totti, this story of a young Cambodian rice farmer who saves a chained dog from his small and limited world and gives him the freedom to run through rice fields unhindered captures what it is to unconditionally love and be loved right back by a dog.
Much has been written and said and depicted about how deep the connection goes between people and their pets aka furbabies aka members of the family but Run Totti Run, five years in the making with the assistance of 300 volunteers worldwide, really gets to the heart of how dogs especially save us and we save them right back.
This close and unyielding connection, shown as a gossamer glowing line of bejewelled gold that unwavering ties Totti and the rice farmer together as they race happily through the ride fields, goes far beyond that of master and pet and shows that all that talk of dog’s being humanity’s best friend has its roots in true and enduring lived experience.
With watercolour artwork that looks like a Monet painting sprung to life, Run Totti Run is 17 of the most moving minutes you will spend in your life and a gloriously touching tribute to the forever love between us, our dogs (or honestly any pet) and life and how the latter is immeasurably and always enriched by the close bond between the former.
I LOVE THE TOTTI
AND
THE TOTTI LOVES ME