The Woman Who Loves Giraffes
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes is the hitherto unknown story of Canadian biologist Dr. Anne Innis Dagg, who, in 1956 at age 23, traveled alone to South Africa to become the world’s first person, male or female, to study the behaviour of an animal in the wild. Her pioneering efforts were ground-breaking, but upon her return home to Canada, her career was destroyed.
The Woman Who Loves Giraffes is the hitherto unknown story of Canadian biologist Dr. Anne Innis Dagg, who, in 1956 at age 23, traveled alone to South Africa to become the world’s first person, male or female, to study the behaviour of an animal in the wild. Her pioneering efforts were ground-breaking, but upon her return home to Canada, her career was destroyed. Anne (now 85) re-traces the steps of her trail-blazing1956 journey, giving us an intimate look into her life as a young woman, juxtaposed with a firsthand look at the devastating reality that giraffes are facing today and the forces that brought her back at a time when the giraffe world needs her most.
The documentary is produced by Joanne Jackson (The Messenger, The Big Wait, Long Haul Big Hearts) and Alison Reid, and executive produced by Paul Zimic (Grass 2, Never Enough).
Featuring the voices of Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black), Victor Garber (Argo, Milk, Titanic), David Chinchilla (The Expanse) and Lindsay Leese (Bomb Girls) reading letters written by young Anne, Fleur de Lys manager, Alex Matthew, Anne’s husband, Ian Dagg, and Anne’s mother, Mary Quayle Innis, The Woman Who Loves Giraffes incorporates present day footage with vintage 16mm archival footage from 1956-57 which was filmed by Anne Dagg herself, and, when she is in frame, by South African rancher, Alex Matthew.
