Four film students have put Lort Smith on the world stage with their short film, Adoption Pending.
The ten-minute short film follows the adoption journey of George, a friendly two-year-old staffy cross husky, as he adapts to the Lort Smith shelter while waiting for adoption. The emotional film captures some of the amazing work that happens at Lort Smith each day. A special mention must go to Senior Animal Welfare Officer Mandy Doolan – a natural talent!
The project was a collaboration between producer Jordan Montgomery, director Liam Fouracre, sound recordist Elly Thompson and editor Khalid Naim. The team spent over a week observing the everyday, behind-the-scenes work of the Lort Smith Adoption Centre.
The staff treat every animal like their own, and show a great deal of kindness and sensitivity.
Jordan Montgomery, producer
"The goal was to document an adoption journey from a dog's point of view, capturing just a small part of what animals experience during the wait of finding a new home," says Jordan.
"The staff treat every animal like their own, and show a great deal of kindness and sensitivity. It was truly heart-warming to witness the deep connections they form, no matter what situation each animal is going through."
The film has screened at film festivals around the globe, including the St Kilda Film Festival, Student World Awards and Top Dog Film Festival.
We're happy to report that after two weeks at Lort Smith, George was adopted by a smitten Karina.
"George hasn't let the fame of Adoption Pending go to his head and still loves nothing more than chasing his own tail," laughs Karina.
Grab your small-sized popcorn (it's a short film, after all) and watch Adoption Pending on Facebook.