On May 22, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. at the Regent Theatre in Arlington, A-DOG, the Arlington Dog Owners Group, will sponsor the Arlington premiere of "Prison Pups," a film by Arlington resident Alice Dungan Bouvrie.

"Prison Pups" is a special behind-the-scenes glimpse into the life of four inmates at New England Correctional Center, a minimum-security facility in Concord, MA as they raise and train assistance dogs for the NEADS (Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans) program based in Princeton, MA. By taking on the responsibility of caring for a puppy, the inmates develop self-confidence and the capacity for nurturing and affection. This film, produced in cooperation with WGBH, won Best Documentary Award and has been the official selection at several other festivals.

In addition to a Q&A session with Ms. Bouvrie, the event will also include an introduction by Kathleen M. Dennehy, the first woman appointed Commissioner of Correction in Massachusetts. Ms. Dennehy, who served from 2004 to 2007, has been called by one politician, “the best corrections official in the country.” Ms. Dennehy is currently a corrections consultant and is enrolled in a doctoral program in Social Policy at Brandeis University.

Also available for questions at the event will be Superintendent Lynn Bissonnette of MCI-Framingham who appears in “Prison Pups” and was instrumental in bringing the prison dog program to Massachusetts.

“Prison Pups” is a natural choice for A-DOG to showcase because the film echoes the group’s guiding principle that relationships with dogs and other companion animals have numerous benefits to individuals of all ages, and to the community at large.

More about Alice Dungan Bouvrie:

Alice Dungan Bouvrie brings over 20 years of experience in the film industry to her role as documentary Producer and Director. She holds a Master's Degree in Film Production from Boston University, a Master's Degree in Intercultural Relations from Lesley University, and is a graduate of the DGA Producers Training Program out of New York. She is an active member of the Director's Guild of America, and an active member and former board member of Women in Film & Video/New England. Bouvrie worked as an Assistant Director on feature films, TV series and specials, commercials and industrials for seven years then began producing documentaries as an independent in 1993, forming Mineral King Productions, a video documentary production company based in Arlington, Massachusetts. Mineral King Productions produces broadcast-quality documentary videos with an intercultural emphasis. The organization was created in response to a need for culturally based video projects that would bring depth and immediacy to topical subject matter.

Ms. Bouvrie won the Special Jury Award in the Environmental Category at the San Francisco International Film Festival in 1994 for her first film co-produced with Teresa Metcalf entitled, "Living Under the Cloud: Chernobyl Today". Her film "Iditarod... A Far Distant Place" won Best Cinematography at the New England Film Festival 2000, and First Place Audience Award for Documentary at Film Fest New Haven 2000. Besides “Prison Pups,” other films produced include "Am I Home Yet? 5 Au Pairs in Boston" and "William Wyman Artist Potter" both for the educational market. Current works in production include: "Land Sea Sky":Sovereignty and Subsistence in the Alaska Native Community, and "The Girls Next Door": Transgender issues of acceptance and identity.

For more information on the filmmaker, see her website at www.mineralkingproductions.com/.


ABOUT A-DOG:
In spring 2008, a group of concerned dog owners in Arlington incorporated a new not-for-profit organization, Arlington Dog Owners Group (or A-DOG), to address issues around dogs and people in Arlington. A-DOG’s guiding principles are the following:

· Relationships with dogs and other companion animals have numerous benefits to individuals of all ages, and to the community at large.

· With dog ownership comes responsibility, not only to promote the health and welfare of one's dog, but also to ensure that one's dog does not adversely affect the safety of others.

A-DOG's mission includes:

· Advocating for the rights and interests of Arlington dog owners.

· Promoting responsible dog ownership/custodianship, emphasizing respect for the rights and interests of neighbors and the community and the welfare of our companion animals.

· Educating the community about dog behavior and other factors influencing canine-human interactions.

· Working to promote safe, healthy recreational venues for dogs on- and off-leash in Arlington, enabling responsible dog owners to exercise and socialize their dogs.

The founding officers and directors are Susan R. Doctrow and Susan C. Ruderman (co-presidents); Andrew Fischer; MaryAnna Foskett; Brenda Kokubo; Carrie Moore; Mary Mangan; Ann Smith; Roslyn Smith; and Judy Weinberg.
www.arlingtondogowners.org