About a Pack

A Pack is a subjective take on an interaction between a musher and his pack of dogs, whose bond seems to be proving that fauna and flora can be partners with man.

It’s a patiently observed cinematic animal study made with a true conviction that a mutually beneficial relationship between humans and the rest of the natural world – without man’s dominance and violence – is still possible.

The film focuses on an aging musher who shares with the viewers his experience of cooperating with animals. We can observe his co-existence with animals on a daily basis as… another animal. The camera follows him when he receives signals from his pack and when he is able to signal back, without words and without forcing animals to communicate on human terms or copying human behavior. In this way not only does he reveal his techniques of communicating with dogs, but he also shares something much deeper: his life wisdom which he acquired from his pack…

Are we able to learn and maintain a mutually beneficial relationship with nature?

To what extent are we still able to receive signals from the natural world?

To what extent as humans are we able to communicate without words, think without concepts, and fully enjoy co-operation and physical activity?

Aren’t we naturally more fulfilled and happier among happier and more fulfilled animals?

A Pack | documentary teaser
from Diana Aszyk

runtime: 62 min
quality: 4K Ultra HD, Atmos audio system
music: original
scheduled release: 2025

PSY_CC_3

Dogs and mushing

In Poland – where the pack of dogs which we observed resided – there are over a hundred mushers.

04_psy_a_sport_zaprzegowy_2

Since it’s a relatively small number, the community of mushers is naturally international. Thus, mushers cover huge distances to be able to take part in competitions in other countries with their packs transported in specially adjusted cars or dog transporting trailers.

Competitions take place on snow or dryland. Races vary in length, from a few to a few hundred kilometers (sprints, middle distance and long distance), both during daylight and at night.

Mushing is a high-risk sport

Teams of dogs speed up to 40 km/h.
A single mistake of the musher or a momentary lack of concentration of a single dog can end tragically.

06_mushing_sportem_wysokiego_ryzyka_2

The team, which consists of twelve dogs, is 10-12 meters long and cannot move backwards.

If there’s a need to turn back during a race, the team must loop.

The musher directs the team with commands to which the first pair of dogs responds. They are the leaders. The other dogs run after the first dogs, following their hunting instinct.

Dogs and civilization

The number of working dogs has drastically diminished in recent decades while the number of dogs kept as pets increased. Currently, the most frequent cause of dogs’ death is obesity and various forms of cancer. Allergies also appeared. These ailments were virtually nonexistent among dogs fifty years ago.

Experts are also expecting the emergence of new, previously unknown, diseases which will plague dogs kept as pets in the future.