Dogs — a six-part docuseries examining the deep bonds between humans and our furry friends — arrives on Netflix in November.
The episodes combine leading directorial talent with real-life stories which show the role dogs play in the lives of humans struggling with varying degrees of crisis and setbacks.
The series was announced by Netflix today and will premiere on November 16.
What is Dogs about?
Described as “cinematic verite”, this engaging documentary series is a joyous celebration of exactly how dogs impact human lives across the globe.
It examines the deep emotional bonds between people and their four-legged best friends. How did that dog come into that person’s life? Why is that dog so important to that person or family? These are some of the questions that are answered.
What happens in Dogs?
Producers follow six narratives from across the globe including Syria, Japan, Costa Rica, Italy and the US.
The stories are vastly different, with each proving that the unconditional love various subjects feels for their own dog is a universal truth.
Each episode is directed by a critically acclaimed director. Academy Award-nominated Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil), Academy Award-winning Roger Ross Williams (Life Animated, Music by Prudence), Academy Award-nominated Heidi Ewing (Jesus Camp, One of Us), Emmy Award-winning Richard Hankin (The Jinx) and Academy Award-winners T.J. Martin and Daniel Lindsay (Undefeated) all bring their experienced cinematic eye to tell these unique stories.
Who is behind Dogs?
This is a Netflix Original Documentary Series, part of a documentary series by Glen Zipper with Academy Award-nominated Amy Berg of Disarming Films and Zipper, of Zipper Bros Films, serving as executive producers.
What are the episodes of Dogs?
First up is The Kid with a Dog, directed by Heidi Ewing. She tells Corrine’s story, an 11-year-old girl bedridden a great deal of her time who suffers from traumatic seizures.
Her life takes a dramatic upswing when she meets Rory, a certified dog who has been trained to detect oncoming seizures. This episode shows the connection between dogs and humans for health and wellness.
The second segment is Bravo, Zeus, directed by Amy Berg. War-torn Syria is the setting as two years after fleeing his home, Ayham has made a new home for himself in Germany.
He is bereft as he had to leave behind his Siberian Husky named Zeus. Ayham and his friends risk everything as they smuggle Zeus across the border from Syria to Lebanon in the bid to get him to Germany.
The third segment is Ice on the Water, directed by Richard Hankin. Picturesque Lake Como is the setting as Italian fisherman Alessandro relies on Ice, a 10-year-old Labrador to help him with the family business ahead of tourist season. The fishermen in town are struggling financially, but Ice works hard even in the coldest winter months.
Scissors Down is the fourth episode, directed by Roger Ross Williams. The Japanese adore their dogs, and we are shown the level of dedicated grooming, dressing and even anthropomorphizing of dogs dressed in clothing to match their owners. The world’s most renowned dog groomers head to California to compete in the ultimate dog grooming competition.
The fifth episode is Territorio de Zeguates, directed by T.J. Martin and Daniel Lindsay. Territorio is a sanctuary in the Costa Rican rainforest where thousands of dogs live, rescued from living on the streets. This details the struggle of a non-profit whose operating expenses are in a precarious state.
The sixth and last episode is Second Chances, also directed by Amy Berg.
In New York City, the entire Byzantine dog rescue and adoption process is examined. There are more dogs in New York than there are people in the city of Cleveland according to producers, as Berg follows each step of this adoption process through the charity Hearts and Bones as they go on a rescue mission to help dogs from a kill shelter in the south.
Dogs on Netflix: The trailer
Dogs streams on Netflix this November 16.