The War In Between

Founded by Desert Storm veteran Matt Simmons and psychologist Lorin Lindner, Lockwood Animal Rescue Centre (LARC) is a 20-acre sanctuary located in Frazier Park, just north of Los Angeles. In this stunning location, surrounded by green trees and mountains, veterans and wolves fight against fear and depression. With this documentary, Italian filmmaker Riccardo Ferraris gets right to the heart of an extraordinary relationship. "It's the first documented case of a cross-species simultaneous therapy," director Riccardo Ferraris said. "It's a journey we covered for over a year." Forty wolves currently live at LARC, rescued from roadside attractions, breeders, and other exploitative situations. "The veterans working in the sanctuary get all the wolves depression, because they have the same thing," psychologist Lindner said. "The trust is crucial: after the shock of a war soldiers realize that they can have a pure connection, because having a relationship with an animal is having a relationship." (Santa Barbara International Film Festival)