If you’re a pet parent who’s just as obsessed with your fur baby as I am with mine, you can’t miss a new, upcoming Disney + documentary, Pets, which was released on April 11.
Directed by Bryce Dallas Howard and produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer’s Imagine Documentaries, the film celebrates the unique and powerful relationship between humans and their beloved animals, highlighting a bond that can best be described as unconditional and unbreakable.
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The documentary features stories of pet parents from all walks of life and different corners of the world, offering a unique perspective. Plus, kids take center stage in Pets, and their thoughts on how much joy their furry (and not-so-furry) friends bring to their lives are full of pure, raw innocence.
ParadePets had the pleasure of chatting with Howard last week about this incredible new project and where her source of inspiration came from. After all, she’s typically seen on the screen versus behind the camera.
In terms of what made her decide to create a film about animals, she said:
“Honestly, it was pretty simple. I just love pets. I’m the person who is sending my friends 10 new pet videos every morning. For me, nothing is more fun than talking to, kids, in particular, about their pets. So that in many ways was the genesis of this. I was very lucky to grow up in a household with a lot of pets and still have pets in my life, so it’s about bonding over that.”
Howard also touched on how she went about choosing the different pet parents featured in the film. She notes:
“Elizabeth Jameson was the main producer on this movie, and she was my partner in every sense… and this is her genius. She’s a casting director and also has four pets and is very involved in the rescue space. There were so many stories, and the thing that was really hard was whittling it down. I would love for this to be a series since there were so many inspiring stories about that relationship between pets and their people.”
Howard also admits making the film and seeing the finish product affirmed the way she feels about her relationship with pets, saying:
“The conversations that I had and the stories that are depicted affirmed my feelings rather than disrupted them. One of the things I learned is that 40% of households in the U.S. have a child under the age of 18, and 70% have a pet in their home. So many of us can actively relate to this. When I talk to people about their pets, you get to see a version of themselves that are almost like kids. Getting to lean into this experience and connect with people about their love of pets was something that felt important to do.”
As far as the biggest message she hopes people will take away from the film? Howard said:
“This is a movie that’s not just meant for people who have pets. Having a pet in your life isn’t always right for every single period in your life. Even if you don’t have a pet, you can still watch this movie and go on that adventure. If there is anything for anyone to take away, it’s something said in the movie, “Love is love is love. That’s what love looks like, and love is the most powerful thing on the planet, without a doubt.”
You can hear more aboutHoward’s love of animals in this clip from GMA.
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Trust me, you don’t want to miss this one. If you don’t have a lump in your throat at the very start of the film, just wait until you get to the end. Without giving away any spoilers, let’s just say there won’t be a dry eye in the house.
