From Director Rebecca Stern, “Well Groomed” chronicles a year in the visually stunning world of competitive and creative dog grooming and follows the lives of a group of dog lovers whose dedication to transforming their beloved poodles into living sculptures is bold, imaginative and eye-opening.
Accompanying a group of champion groomers and their gorgeous, vibrant dogs for one year on the technicolor competition circuit, “Well Groomed” effervescently and poignantly explores an America not often portrayed in cinema. From South Carolina to California, New York to Arkansas, the film follows the group from their homes to large-scale dog grooming competitions and showrooms where their communities meet, discuss, and compete with technicolor exuberance.
A remarkable cast of characters is profiled, each driven to win while faced with challenges in each of their personal and professional lives. Determined to succeed in competition and in business, these dog owners dedicate themselves to this unique subculture. Outside the competition ring, working as professional groomers, they spend their limited spare time away from washing, blow-drying, and fluffing other people’s dogs caring for their own numerous pets and experimenting with new designs on their show dogs, finding creative inspiration in their seemingly mundane surroundings. These women are revolutionizing the age-old question – what is art?
“Well Groomed” is from Cattle Rat Productions in association with Spacestation; directed and written by Rebecca Stern; produced by Rebecca Stern, Justin Levy and Matthew C. Mills, executive produced by Chris Vivion, Annie Roney, Sue Turley; co-executive produced by Meryl Goldsmith; cinematography, Alexander W. Lewis; edited by Katharina Stroh; original music by Dan Deacon.
A shorter 60-minute version of the film debuted on HBO in December, and now for the first time since its 2019 SXSW premiere, the feature film (88 minutes) will be available to the world on DVD and all major VOD platforms, courtesy of Passion River Films.
Available on DVD & VOD July 21st
