Dog Day, Every Day: Gillian Leahy's 'Baxter and Me' and the Essay Film

A nonfiction film on a pet may, on the surface, not seem like much, but Gillian Leahy's portrait of her canine companion Baxter proves to be a riveting rumination on not just animal consciousness and the relationships between humans and creatures, but also political activism and personal hardship. As an example of the essay film, writes Adrian Martin, Baxter and Me masterfully interweaves an intimate story of self with one of society.

Additional keywords: power dynamics, animal rights, feminism.