Sun Feb 26, 2023 – 12:00 pm | Downtown Beloit Association
Thu Mar 2, 2023 – 5:30 pm | Downtown Beloit Association
Thu Mar 2, 2023 – 5:30 pm | Downtown Beloit Association
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Musher
Directed by Anuradha Rana & Laurie Little
Documentary Feature
United States | 75 min | 2021
Musher peels back the veil behind the bond that four women have between their dogs and the world of sled-dog racing. As each woman prepares for the Copperdog annual race, we reveal the intimate insight into the mushing community, devotion to that lifestyle, and how women influence the sport.
News & Reviews
AWARDS
Winner of the People’s Choice Award
Montreal International Documentary Festival (RIDM), 2021
The Best Feature Documentary Award
Indy Film Fest, 2022
The Cercle d’or for Best Feature Documentary Award
Sherbrooke World Film Festival, 2022
The Grand Prix Documentary Award
Rising Sun International Film Festival, 2022
The Silver Award for Best Feature Documentary
Tokyo Film Awards, 2022
The Dr. Sydney K. Shapiro Humanitarian Award
Phoenix Film Festival, 2022
The Best Editing of a Documentary Award
Madrid International Film Festival, 2022
The Excellence in Editing Award
Docs Without Borders Film Festival, 2022
The Best Editing Award
Brussels World Film Festival, 2022
REVIEWS
“Truly a rare moment in Cinema… This film is a marvel”
Mélikah Abdelmoumen & Marc Béland, CBC Radio Canada
“An Exquisite Gem. Tenderness, wonder, & dignity…
a beautiful film about beautiful people”
Richard Propes, The Independent Critic
“Anyone who watches Dear Audrey will undoubtedly conclude
that Hayes is a masterful filmmaker”
Charlie Smith, The Georgia Straight
“Touching… luminous… truly magnificent”
Caroline Levesque, CBC Radio Canada
“Dear Audrey, a riveting documentary…
that stands as a powerful paean to passion and perseverance”
Evelyn C White, The Halifax Examiner
“…so many amazing lessons, stories, emotions with pain
and celebration intertwined”
Darren Wiesner, Hollywood North Magazine
“It’s impossible to watch this documentary, (a People’s Choice Award winner), without being overwhelmed by its sweetness and generosity”
Silvia Galipeau, La Press
“…an at once ethereal reflection on the enduring power of love,
and unblinking revelation of life’s steel-cold realities”
Chris Cook, Gorilla Radio
“The central force of Dear Audrey is the eternal, almost implacable force of love that binds people together through the most difficult times”
Dorothy Woodend, The Tyee
“Dear Audrey celebrates the very best the human heart has to offer, with such compassion, artistry and grace”
Terre Nash, Oscar-winning director
“A Stunning Love Story You Won’t Soon Forget!”
Indy Film Fest
“This love story will bring you joy, hope, tears and humility…”
Dr. Jen Hammersmark, Mind Your Madness
“…a beautiful homage to Audrey, to the couple’s
love and their family”
Nantali Indongo, CBC Radio
“Beautiful, touching … ‘Dear Audrey’ is a testament to
what Audrey was and what she remains forever”
Rob Wilson, The Bobr Times
“Poignant and could not be more authentic”
Amandine de Chanteloup, Le Collectif
Director Statement
Back in 2019, I found a plastic container of old photos and VHS tapes in my basement. The photos were from a time when my Uncle owned Siberian tigers in the early 2000s. I can barely remember when he had tigers because I was around five years old at the time. When the tigers were taken away by the local police I was too young to even remember it. I know that the tigers meant a lot to him and it was something he always talked about more than a decade later. As I began my research, I found more and more photos/videos from the past, so the documentary quickly began to form on its own.
For the production of this documentary, it was primarily a 2-person crew operation with my Editor/Asst. Director/Co-Producer Sam Ruesink assisting on secondary camera/monitoring. As for post-production, I worked with Sam to organize the story and footage in a way that best covers all stories surrounding the Tiger Zone. My hope for this documentary was to be able to tell my Uncle’s story from a more well-rounded and informed perspective compared to how the media portrayed him at the time. Secondly, I wanted to create a film that would pull the audience into feeling like they are getting an inside look at how those involved have been impacted by events from 20 years ago to the present. I wanted to show a well-rounded view of the Tiger Zone and those involved with it, then let the viewer form their own opinion on what occurred through interview/video evidence.
For the 3+ years, Sam and I have been working on this film we have continuously pushed our release in order to form an accurate story. Between gathering new interviews/photos, the COVID-19 pandemic, graduating college, and a full-time job I have worked to make sure this story isn’t rushed. My main hope for this film is to show that my Uncle Grant is more than the criminal the news and local officials portrayed him as. Personally, I don’t think there is a clear line of who was right or wrong, but I know there’s more than one side to every story. So whether my Uncle was in the right, wrong, or somewhere in-between I leave that up to the viewers to decide.
-Grant Osum
Anuradha Rana
Director
Born and raised in India, Anuradha Rana’s immigrant roots create the lens of a curious interloper at the heart of her films, where everyday characters push conventional boundaries. She was a 2019 CAAM (Center for Asian American Media) Fellow, a finalist at Tribeca Film Institute’s 2019 If/Then Shorts program, showcased at the TFI Network in 2020, and selected for the 2021 Chicago Independent Producer’s Lab organized by Full Spectrum Features and the City of Chicago’s Department of Cultural Affairs. Anuradha is an Associate Professor and Co-Chair of the Documentary Program at DePaul University’s School of Cinematic Arts, and Creative Lead for the Diverse Voices in Doc Fellowship organized by Kartemquin Films and Community Film Workshop of Chicago. She was named one of Chicago Film’s 50 Screen Gems by Newcity Magazine in 2017 and 2019 and a DCASE Esteemed Artist in 2021.
Laurie Little
Director
Originally from Canada, Laurie Little is a Chicago based filmmaker, artist and educator. Her films have screened in festivals and exhibitions worldwide and her observational documentaries and short fiction films work to inspire dialogue and advocacy for change. Her film, “Sisters March”, a short documentary reflecting on the journey between Chicago and DC, connects voices of hope, empowerment, and intersectionality during the Women’s March. “Totalité” about Photographer/Umbraphile Richard Bellia, looks at Bellia’s passion for the creative process and its parallels to nature. Her latest feature documentary, “Musher” follows four female dog sled racers ranging from ages 13 to 64, on the Lake Superior race circuit a collaboration. Little is currently producing “The Light of Truth: Richard Hunt’s Monument for Ida B. Wells”. Her short film, Canopy screened at “Night of Ideas” at the Field Museum just before the pandemic hit. Little holds a BFA from York University and an MFA in Film and Video from Columbia College Chicago where she teaches the classes Documenting Social Injustice and Culture Race and Media. Her work as a freelance digital artist/colorist helps to support her passion projects.
Film Information
Director: Anuradha Rana & Laurie Little
Country: United States
Year: 2021
Language: English
Runtime: 75 min
Rated: G
Credits
Producer:B. Rich, Anuradha Rana, Laurie Little
