AFI-Discovery Channel SILVERDOCS 2009

It seems inconceivable that the indignities suffered by the victims of Hurricane Katrina would continue to reveal themselves, but director Geralyn Pezanoski reminds us that the consequences of the tragedy are without end. This time, we examine the aftermath of Katrina from the perspectives of three sets of people: the residents of New Orleans who were forced to leave their pets behind, the people from all over the country who rescued the pets and the families who adopted them. In MINE, the good intentions of rescuers and adoptive families devolve into a disheartening and classist tug of war over these animals, adding unexpected insult to untreated injury. The mandatory evacuation of New Orleans meant that residents with few resources had to make some devastating decisions, and the number of pets left in homes was staggering. Moved by the plight of the Katrina pets, volunteers from around the country descended on the city to perform a massive rescue operation devoted to the animals. The efforts to rescue, rehabilitate and find new homes for these animals were sincere. But along the way, a lot of people forgot that these animals already had homes. MINE follows the stories of five New Orleans residents whose families were disbanded by Katrina and who fought to get their pets back. The rescue effort that saved these pets was so ill-prepared for the catastrophic aftermath that it could not accommodate the people who wanted to be reunited with their pets. And while the film examines the status of pets as property, it also asks if the rescue mechanism was not able to or did not choose to reunite the animals with their original families. Attitudes about proper pet care raise unsettling questions that become a minefield in the wake of a racially and culturally loaded disaster like Katrina.

Filmmaker Q&A

Introduce yourself:
I’m originally from Wisconsin and have lived in San Francisco for most of my adult life. I’ve been producing corporate and commercial video for more than 12 years, all the while dabbling in documentaries and traveling whenever I can. Being a child of a big family, I have an acute need for harmony in the world around me. I’m driven by the simple notion that the world could be a better place if we all just tried to understand each other a little better. Making documentaries feels like the natural expression of this.

What inspired this film?   How did you find your subjects?
Post Katrina, I received some heart wrenching pictures from a friend who had been in New Orleans rescuing animals, and being an animal lover and understanding how important pets are to people, I knew instantly that I'd go help rescue pets. I got connected with the Humane Society of Louisiana, a grass roots group that does amazing animal welfare work, and they had lost not only their facility, but also their entire community. I decided I would create a series of fundraising spots for them and so we began to film the remarkable pet rescue effort that was underway. It was a very intense experience to be in New Orleans at that time, the city was completely empty with the exception of the animals that survived the flood and the rescuers who were there, often at great personal cost, trying to save them.

Before I left New Orleans I decided I would foster a dog, a pointer mix I called Nola. She was skin and bones when I met her, and she refused to leave my side for more than a couple of seconds. It didn’t take either of us long to bond.

As the months went on with residents slowly returning to New Orleans, it became apparent that thousands of these people who had lost everything were desperate to find their pets. I started hearing stories of people encountering serious resistance to getting their pets back. I began to investigate what was behind that and found that there were a lot of people who either rescued or adopted pets who had major concerns about uprooting these animals who had been through so much already. I saw a lot of judgment on both sides and very little communication happening. There was so much wrong with this situation, yet everyone was trying to do what they thought was the right thing.

I thought it was such an interesting context through which to examine questions of humanity and loss and how we engage with each other. And of course there was my personal attachment to the story having adopted a "Katrina pet" myself. This helped me see both sides. While I empathized with the original guardians searching for their pets, what would I do if someone came looking for Nola, to whom I had become so attached? So MINE was an outlet for my own exploration.

What were some of the biggest challenges/surprises?
Making this film is the hardest and most rewarding thing I've ever done. The biggest challenges were really financial, the story was unfolding quickly and I of course didn’t have any funding in place. So I just leapt in, and spent every penny I had.

As the months - then years - passed, trying to fundraise felt like a full-time job and I just wanted to make this film, so I charged up credit card after credit card…until Visa and MasterCard cut me off. Thank God I maxed-out my cards before the credit crunch, I don’t know how indie films will continue to get made now!

I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have an amazing producing partner in Erin Essenmacher, who has been incredibly dedicated to the project. And MINE couldn’t have been made without huge favors from a whole lot of friends and colleagues who were moved by the stories and believed in what we were doing. Really, the support has been phenomenal!

Who are some of your favorite filmmakers?
I’m all about fantasy interestingly enough… Jim Henson, Guillermo Del Toro, Terry Gilliam, Jean Pierre Jeunet, Michel Gondry, Atom Egoyan, Emir Kusturica, and of course John Hughes.

What is your all time favorite documentary?
I’ve been obsessed with AMERICAN TEEN since I saw it. I just kept thinking I was watching a narrative and I found it really intriguing to think about approaching a documentary so cinematically, while maintaining the genuineness of the subject. It has inspired me to approach my next film with more creative intention.

What other projects are in the pipeline?
I’m working on the development of a new project with Jessie, one of the lead subjects of MINE. I’m really thrilled to work with him again.

Why did you become a filmmaker?
It started with a love of travel that brought with it a fascination with cultures and with society and in questioning what holds it all together, as well as an appreciation of beauty, color, nature and construct. It also came from my desire for justice, meaning, and understanding.

What are some of your creative influences?
I’m inspired by culture and natural beauty.

Did you go to film school?
MINE was my film school! I started working in commercial production as a PA and have been producing for a dozen years now. I’ve directed a few short format projects, but I had a lot to learn about doc filmmaking. MINE was like a crash course in directing a feature doc. Wait, can a crash course take 4 years?

What do you shoot on?
We shot MINE over 4 years on the DVX-100. I’m really excited about all the new formats out there and some of the new cameras that make shooting beautiful HD pictures more accessible to independent doc filmmakers.

What has been the most unexpected thing to happen since taking the film on the festival circuit?
The most surprising moment was winning the audience award at SXSW and Smush Media’s other doc, MOTHERLAND, also winning the audience award for Emerging Visions. It was just over the top!

Why did you want to screen your film at SILVERDOCS?
We always felt like SILVERDOCS would be a great place for MINE to screen. Aside from being one of the pre-eminent doc festivals, the affiliation with ACE makes it a perfect fit for our film. And Erin (MINE’s producer) lived and worked in production in DC for years so for her this is like a hometown premiere. We’re both really excited about it!