Denali - MOVIE
If you're a dog lover you'll love this flick, if you're not a dog lover you'll love this flick. Told from Denali's perspective this film is beautifully shot, powerfully written and simply moving.
"A filmmaker’s brilliant tribute to his dog is both human and humane, and shows the special bond between two friends."
When Denali came into Ben Moon’s life in November 1999, Moon was 24 years old and had just moved west to Portland, Oregon. His girlfriend had convinced him to go to the shelter with her, though he had no intention of bringing home a dog that day. As Moon walked the halls of barking dogs, a puppy let out a small yip and cocked his head. Moon turned back to look at him – he had no choice but to bring him home.
After Moon’s relationship ended, Denali and him left the city and began a nomadic lifestyle in the high desert community of Bend, Oregon. They lived through an icy cold PNW winter in a Subaru wagon, later upgrading to a camper van the following spring. They traveling throughout the western states photographing climbers and surfers as Moon began his career as an adventure photographer.
Later the following year, Moon noticed the first signs that something was going awry with his health. In June 2004, a friend convinced him to visit the doctor. That friend saved his life – Moon was diagnosed with stage 3+ colorectal cancer that had just entered the lymph nodes. Denali was an incredible companion through the ordeal that ensued, and never took his eyes off Moon through all of the brutal chemo and radiation treatments. While in the hospital for surgery, the nurses allowed Denali in the room. He would jump on the bed ever so carefully and lie down gently beside Moon. To have a dog just willing to give everything and expect nothing in return was incredibly healing and key to Moon’s recovery.
Denali has been published many times in Moon’s work, landing magazine and catalog covers on his own. He endured his own battle with cancer later in life and Moon promised to never let him suffer. In early 2014, Denali was starting to weaken significantly, and Moon told him it was ok to go. But after production began for the Denali film a week later, Moon asked Denali if he could stick around for another month. Exactly one month later, at midnight on the eve on January 31st, Denali developed a bad cough. Moon and Denali played on the beach the next day, and the following morning he gave Moon the look – it was time to go. He was 14 1/2 years old.
A true collaboration between director Ben Knight, producer Ben Moon and cinematographer Skip Armstrong, Denali celebrates the human-dog bond and illuminates the incredible resilience we can conjure up with the help of friends. The film premiered at 5Point Film Festival, winning both Best of Festival and People’s Choice, was an official selection at Telluride Mountainfilm, and has received a Vimeo Staff Pick.
"There's no easy way to say goodbye to a friend, especially when they've supported you through your darkest times."
+++
Eulogy for Denali 1999-2014
This morning I said goodbye to my best friend, after 14 1/2 years of sharing adventure at my side. However difficult the transition, it's cause for reflection and a celebration of how much love and joy this incredible dog brought into my life.
Thank you Denali for giving me the courage to hit the road with a camera, a van, and no plan back in 2001, for never taking your eye off me through a year of cancer treatments, surgeries and countless other challenges. Thank you for your uncanny ability to walk into a frame at precisely the right moment to elevate an image, for teaching me patience and the joy in the simple quiet moments as I watched you grow older, and most of all, giving selflessly the unconditional love that only a true friend can give. It's impossible to put into words all that you were and will always be to me—I was always convinced you were more human than dog, and all of the countless lives you touched felt the same.
Thank you for your unwavering belief in me, happy trails my friend!
+++
