Snowy (Short)
**Seen for the 2021 Atlanta Film Festival.
Plenty of people own turtles as pets- we had one at the house briefly (we were looking after it for someone)- but one doesn’t often think about what it takes to have one as a pet, much less making them happy. With cats and dogs, there is constant interaction that makes it easy to tell when they are content, but how does that work for birds, snakes or turtles?
Snowy is (at least) 24 years old. He lives in a cage. And he’s largely lived in the basement. Is he happy living that way, though? One Thanksgiving, co-directors Alexander W. Lewis and Kaitlyn Schwalje go to Alex’s aunt’s and uncle’s home for the holiday, and the quest to answer that question, of whether Snowy is happy, begins. This is a delightful family documentary that is worth watching for the questions it asks about our responsibilities towards our pets, and what we can do to make them happy. Lewis and Schwalje bring in experts too look at turtles in general, and Snowy in particular, and it’s a journey of discovery that is worth taking with them. Whether you’re a new pet owner or a long-time one, “Snowy” will capture your heart, and make you think.
