The Rendezvous Festival in Amelia Island featured a short, animated film about a disabled dog named Omid.
Arvin Medghalchi wrote and directed the film called “Omid (Hope).”
During an appearance on WJCT's “First Coast Connect,” Omid’s owner Banafshé Alipour talked about his journey and how he came to appear in a film for the festival.
Alipour says Omid was hit by a car in Iran. She says he was rescued and taken to a dog shelter.
Alipour says the shelter worked to get him out of Iran and into the U.S. for the hope of a better life. Then she says a woman in Paris, France heard about Omid, asked for his pictures and she financed his travel to the U.S.
“She’s the one who named him Omid. Omid means to have hope,” said Alipour.
Alipour says she and her husband met Omid when he was brought to the District of Columbia.
“We fell in love with him, and asked him if we could adopt him,” Alipour said.
Omid’s story went viral. Alipour says Medghalchi followed the dog’s story on Facebook for a few years.
“He is a huge animal lover, and he rescues animals in Iran,” Alipour said.
Alipour says Medghalchi contacted her and asked if Omid could be the start of his short animated film.
Listen to the full conversation with Banafshé Alipour on Friday’s episode of the “First Coast Connect” podcast on iTunes.
