Mini Film Fest For Animal Lovers Coming To Santa Cruz

SANTA CRUZ, CA – Eight short films, featuring animals and their riveting stories, will screen at the 5th Animal Film Festival on Tour, hosted by the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter and the Center for Animal Protection & Education.

For the fourth year in a row, CAPE’s Animal Film Festival, held each year in Grass Valley, is bringing several of this year’s films, including Audience Choice Awards, to the Del Mar Theater at 1124 Pacific Avenue in Santa Cruz on Tuesday, May 15 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The eight films are:

"A Horse, a Convict, a Chance for Change" (1st place Audience Choice Award)

• Changed by his love for a wild mustang, a high-risk convict struggles towards a brighter future. His horse, Zephyr, leads a parallel path.

"The Walrus Whisperer" (2nd place Audience Choice Award)

• Former animal trainer Phil Demers tells the story of his unique bond with a walrus named Smooshi and his ongoing fight against Marineland.

"Foxed" (3rd place Audience Choice Award):

• Foxes are under threat but this garden is their safe haven whenever they choose to visit.

"Whose Side Are You On?"

• A young girl learns the meaning of friendship with a pig and transforms her whole family’s way of life.

"In Another Life"

• One animal is raised for food, another is in a loving family.

"It’s a Potcake Life"

• An epic tail of the journey of the indigenous homeless dog of the Bahamas called 'the Potcake' and their very dedicated rescuers.

"St. Louis Six"

• Six cows escaped a slaughterhouse and ran through the streets of St. Louis trying to find their way home. The Gentle Barn was given 24 hours to save them.

"Verge"

• An animated short about a newborn sea turtle who falls behind his siblings on his way to the sea.

"We received 246 films from around the world for this year’s Animal Film Festival, during which we screened the 22 finalists,” J.P. Novic, CAPE 's executive director said. “Through our collaboration with the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter, we are happy this enables us to bring the top films to the Santa Cruz community. The films are entertaining, touching and thought-provoking. People will be so glad they came to this event.”

All proceeds raised from this event will benefit Center for Animal Protection & Education and the Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter.

To purchase tickets, click here.

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--Image via Paul Tessier/Shutterstock