The star Chihuahua rescued from a freezer in the film Dogman won big on Friday at an awards ceremony to celebrate the best Cannes Film Festival canine.
The ceremony has been held since 2001 on the sidelines of the festival where a number of films vie for the prestigious Palm d’Or. Founder Toby Rose decided it was not just humans who needed recognition for their talents, but dogs too.
“Oh it’s just funny, you know, and a bit of levity in this serious event of filmmaking. There’s not enough of it really,” said “Dogman” producer Jeremy Thomas.
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The winner’s lookalike was there to receive the award and bask in the French Riviera sun, a far cry from the scene where the dog she represented is featured in the film.
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“What did they do poor thing? They put the Chihuahua in the deep-freeze, so you can imagine on the way back in the car, the dog groomer’s face was one of sheer horror. On arriving home, he dropped off the criminals, and went straight back, climbed up a drain pipe and rescued and, best of all and most dramatically, resuscitated the Chihuahua. It was amazing, very beautiful,” said Rose when asked why the Chihuahua had won the prize.
Dogman, about a dog groomer who finds himself up against a resident violent bully in an Italian town, is in contention for the festival’s top prize, the winner of which will be announced on Saturday.