Communication Associate: Public Relations | Lori Melton | lmelton@d.umn.edu | (218) 726-8830
May 2, 2013 Chris Julin | Instructor, Writing Studies | 218-726-7072 | cjulin@d.umn.edu
John Hatcher |Assistant Professor, Writing Studies | 218- 726-7325 | jhatcher@d.umn.edu
Lori Melton | Communication Associate, External Affairs | 218-726-8830 | lmelton@d.umn.edu
"Roots of Rescue"
UMD Graduates' Documentary Premiers in Duluth
Duluth, MN –- "Roots of Rescue," a documentary by two UMD alumnus about dog rescue efforts in
Alabama, debuts in Duluth this week.
The premiere takes place at the Zinema, 222 E. Superior Street, on Sunday, May 5 at 5 p.m. Tickets
are $15.
UMD is hosting a free screening on Tuesday, May 7 at 3:30 p.m. in Life Sciences, room 175. The May 7
event features a question and answer session with the filmmakers and an opportunity to meet one of
the dogs the filmmakers brought back from Alabama.
The filmmakers, David Cowardin and Joe Olivieri, raised $10,000 on Kickstarter plus an additional
$4,000 in donations to finance the film, which allowed them to work in two stints: first traveling to
Alabama in January, 2012 for two weeks and returning in May and June that same year to finish the
project.
"Roots of Rescue" takes viewers along for the ride as Cowardin and Olivieri make a transformational
road trip to Alabama with the mission of uncovering dog abuse that Cowardin had heard about.
Instead, they are taken in by a network of dog rescuers, a group that becomes the focus of the film.
"This isn't a film about dog fighting. It's a documentary about this incredible group of people who
are trying to change a culture of animal abuse in Alabama," explains Cowardin.
"Roots of Rescue" is Cowardin and Olivieri's first full-length documentary. They're now focusing on its
distribution.
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