“Mr. Beau” documentary premieres in Lucca: a moving journey into the heart of the Human-Dog Relationship, with Claudia Tosi and Dr. Chiara Mariti

Mr. Beau documentary premieres in Lucca: a moving journey into the heart of the Human-Dog Relationship, with Claudia Tosi and Dr. Chiara Mariti

Today, December 5th, the documentary Mr. Beau premieres in Lucca, offering a heartfelt exploration of the intimate and complex relationship between a human and her dog. Directed by Claudia Tosi, this documentary provides an emotional yet scientifically grounded narrative, delving into themes of animal communication, attachment, and the responsibilities of pet ownership.

One of the film’s standout features is its collaboration with the University of Pisa’s Department of Veterinary Sciences, where Claudia Tosi worked closely with Dr. Chiara Mariti, an expert in animal behavior and attachment. Dr. Mariti’s research, a cornerstone of the narrative, examines the importance of interpreting canine communication and the role of caregivers in fostering their dogs’ well-being. Her contributions tie into the IN-HABIT project in Lucca, where the University of Pisa collaborates with the municipality to pioneer the concept of the first Hum-an Smart City in Europe. The initiative focuses on integrating urban planning, animal behavior research, and innovative policy-making to enhance interactions between humans, animals, and their shared environments.

In our interviews with Claudia Tosi and Dr. Chiara Mariti, we gain a richer understanding of how their collaboration infused Mr. Beau with both scientific depth and emotional resonance. They explore the significance of interpreting canine communication, but also delve into the broader themes of empathy, attachment, and the responsibilities of pet ownership.

Don’t miss the opportunity to experience this unique and moving documentary in Lucca, today, December 5, at Centrale at 6:00 PM. The screening will feature a special presence of director Claudia Tosi, along with Dr. Chiara Mariti, and Cristina Consani, Lucca Councillor for Environment, Ecological Transition, Youth Policies, and Animal Welfare. 

Upcoming screenings include:

• December 9 in Bergamo, 9:00 PM, Cinema Capitol
• December 19 in Correggio (RE), 9:00 PM, Cine+

Click here to see the complete list.

Also, make sure to check out the full interviews with Claudia Tosi and Dr. Chiara Mariti below to learn more about their work and the making of Mr. Beau.

Behind the Lens: Claudia Tosi on Directing “Mr. Beau”

“Living with a dog is a wonderful experience and a great responsibility. It is said that a dog is man’s best friend, but many people have a dog, not a friend, and many dogs have a person, but not a friend. It takes time, care, listening, respect, kindness, and perhaps the wonder of children, to become the true friends that dogs deserve.”

Claudia Tosi is an Italian documentary filmmaker born in Modena. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from the University of Bologna and a Master’s degree from the University of Turin. Since 2003, she has worked as a director and author of narrative documentary films. In 2004, she co-founded Movimenta, a production company focused on international co-productions. Claudia has participated in prestigious programs such as EAVE, Eurodoc, IDFA Academy, Berlinale Talents – Doc Station, and the MRSTP by EWA.

In the documentary, the relationship between you and Beau develops in a nearly therapeutic way, highlighting an open and unconventional dialogue. What surprised you the most during this journey?

I have always had a daily life built around Beau, his need to play, explore, take long walks, have fun with his park friends, or “work,” swim, and play hunting games. However, the making of the film helped me see these “passions” of his as dots to connect in order to understand his unique personality. Thanks to the ethologists, veterinarians, and trainers, I was able to see his individuality emerge from his behavior. The fact that Beau was not just a dog with a great desire to play, interact, and move, like all other dogs, but that he had specific expectations about the surrounding world. From that moment on, the idea that he and I were equals, rather than him being my subordinate, was no longer just a theoretical principle, but had taken on substance.

It filled me with wonder to see how the relationship with a non-human animal transforms when, in addition to affection, love, dedication, and care, sincere respect is added — the kind of respect we usually reserve for human animals who are dear to us. It is at this level that the relationship, in my opinion, can take on a therapeutic dimension for our human nature.

In Mr. Beau, you bring to the stage an intimate and complex relationship that intertwines ethics, philosophical reflection, and the studies on animal communication at the University of Pisa. How did you balance these aspects to create a story that was both emotionally engaging and scientifically rigorous?

For a long time, I wanted to make a cinematic film about the world of dogs, particularly about the intense emotions experienced when living alongside a dog. Certainly, I would have stayed away from the grotesque and highly anthropomorphized representations found on social media, but the risk was falling into the trap of self-referentiality or the “tutorial” effect. I didn’t want to teach the viewer anything, but to take them on an emotional journey, with a strict happy ending, through my relationship with Beau, which is far from perfect, though wonderful. The challenge was how to make a completely personal story resonate on a universal level. Discovering the studies of Professor Chiara Mariti was the starting point around which I built the story. Participating in the ethological tests in Pisa allowed me to focus on the relationship between me and Beau and bring it to a more universal plane. To maintain the emotional approach, I emphasized the effect that the tests conducted on Beau had on me. The text, for which I borrowed a lot of poetry and a bit of philosophy, also served to open the story and make it more universal.

Many viewers, after watching the film, comment that Beau and I, after all, are just a tool for reflecting on relationships in general and on the humility with which one should approach others.

From a scientific perspective, one could argue that there are some inaccuracies or ambiguities. For example, in the film, we talk about “calming signals” in relation to canine language, while in the scientific literature, there is debate about whether these are “calming signals” or “stress signals.” Sometimes, I simplified to enhance the narrative and emotional aspects, but always respecting the scientific approach. Moreover, the film’s editing is not linear. I organized the scenes based on the emotion I aimed to evoke in the film’s conclusion, especially regarding Beau’s state of mind. I didn’t strictly adhere to the sequence of events in reality or my personal evolution as Beau’s caregiver. In short, it’s “all true,” nothing is acted, but the language of the film is cinematic, not scientific.

When you started reflecting on Beau’s behavior, you wondered if he was happy in a world built for humans. In light of this, how do you think the urban environment affects the quality of life of pets, and what can we do to improve their experience?

I believe that cities, for both dogs and humans, can offer countless opportunities while also being a great source of stress. Our dogs need to engage in activities, play, socialize with other dogs, satisfy their breed-specific motivations and desires, but also interact with us and rest peacefully. Starting the day with a nice walk in a large city park where we can meet other owners with their dogs is already a great way to experience the city. Establishing a routine that allows the dog to meet its social, emotional, and physical needs while the human respects their commitments is a way to provide security, strengthen the bond, but above all, enjoy the relationship and get to know each other better.

Sometimes, it is thought that large cities, where it’s rare to afford a house with a garden, are not suitable places for dogs. But often those provincial gardens are merely prisons. With the excuse that the dog has a garden, sometimes that patch of grass or paved area is all that dog will see in its life, as if it were pleasant to spend one’s entire existence in a room.

The city, as a meeting place for individuals of different species, can offer shared spaces like beaches, parks, wooded areas, or riverbanks, or even events with educational goals aimed at the community. Improving the understanding of our pets allows humans to make their life experience richer and more fulfilling. Having a dog is not like riding a bike, because each individual is different. Shared spaces where it’s possible to meet knowledgeable people for help, to learn how to understand one’s four-legged friend better, and to meet other humans and dogs, are a great asset to a community—they build community. Alas, I’ve never had cats, so I don’t know what would make them happiest in the city, but I imagine that, for them as for other animals, different considerations need to be made.

The film also explores ethical questions about the relationship between humans and animals. How do you think society is evolving in terms of recognizing the individuality of animals, and what changes do you hope to see in the future?

I would say that our society is more animal-friendly than in the past. In fact, there are laws that prohibit the most cruel mistreatment, although they do not prevent a pet from living in a cage, as long as it is of sufficient size. However, the large number of kennels and shelters, overcrowded with dogs that have had the misfortune of falling into the wrong hands and suffering immensely, makes me think about how far off the future is when we could say we have understood the message that many scientists and philosophers have passed on to us, which is that every animal is an individual and has complex needs. If we broaden the discussion to include factory farming, the issue becomes even more thorny. There are animals, deprived of any stimuli, ignored in their ethological needs, kept in confinement and fed only to be slaughtered or to produce a food for which we have inflated demand for economic purposes. If the measure of humanity lies in taking care of what surrounds us, cleaner or better-ventilated barns, or cages that are a few meters larger, will not make us better beings than Descartes and those like him, who saw animals only as machines and, in their cries, heard only mechanical creaks.

The science of animal behavior: interview with Dr. Chiara Mariti

“The so-called dog areas are places for socialization, both for dogs and for people, especially when they have been designed in a way that facilitates the human-animal relationship, as has happened in Lucca through a participatory process.”

Dr. Chiara Mariti is a researcher at the University of Pisa, a partner in the IN-HABIT project, where she focuses on pet behavior, welfare, and anthrozoology. She holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine, a Master’s in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine, and a Ph.D. in horse behavior. She is a founding member of AVEC and has published extensively on animal behavior and welfare. 

How did the documentary Mr. Beau collaborate with the Department of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Pisa?

Director Claudia Tosi contacted me because she wanted to make a film about dog behavior and had found some scientific articles I had written on the subject. After an initial in-person meeting, we discussed things several more times. The documentary took a slightly different direction, focusing on the relationship between the director and her dog. Since much of my research focuses on attachment bonds, the crew came to the department to film some scenes, interview us, and have Mr. Beau participate in the scientific study. The Department of Veterinary Sciences at the University of Pisa, therefore, contributed both in terms of knowledge and practical involvement.

The documentary highlights the theme of interspecies communication (human-animal), especially through the body language of dogs. How important is it for owners to learn to interpret these signals to improve their dog’s well-being and their relationship?

The role of the owner, or rather the caregiver (the person who takes care of the dog), is essential to safeguard or improve the dog’s well-being and its relationship with people. The caregiver is the one who lives alongside the dog, manages everything (from feeding to health), sees and observes the dog in all circumstances, and can decide where to take it, which activities to engage in, and what to avoid. For this reason, all professionals (such as veterinarians or dog trainers) have a duty to teach owners at least the basics of proper interspecific communication. Projects like IN-HABIT can also convey this message to those who are not dog owners.

How do you think the concept of attachment, so extensively studied in the human context, can help us rethink the dynamics of relationships between humans and animals, not just in terms of affection, but also in terms of mutual respect and well-being?

The attachment theory was developed by Bowlby based not only on research about the relationship between humans, particularly caregiver-child, but also on animal behavior research, such as those by Harlow and Lorenz. For this reason, attachment theory can be extended to other species and even across different species, as demonstrated by all the studies conducted, including those by my research group, on the attachment bond between dogs and people. Rethinking the human-dog relationship through the lens of attachment theory, without considering dogs as “children” but as adult individuals of the canine species, means giving the animal an important role by respecting its specificities and needs.

How do you think architecture and urban space design can contribute to strengthening the human-dog bond, creating environments where even the most fearful or avoidant dogs, or those with difficult pasts, can feel at ease? In this sense, is it possible to provide some examples from the areas and pathways created for the IN-HABIT project, of which University of Pisa is the leader for the city of Lucca?

The so-called dog areas are places for socialization, both for dogs and for people, especially when they have been designed in a way that facilitates the human-animal relationship, as has happened in Lucca through a participatory process. Some owners, during the meetings, asked to protect fearful dogs, smaller ones, etc. For this reason, a set of regulations was created, along with separate areas, while teaching owners to pay attention to and protect their dogs.