Hampton Bays, NY, December 06, 2023 –Musician turned dog trainer, Tim Almeida CPDT-KA / FDM, takes center stage at the 2024 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah in January with the debut of his captivating project, “Dog Spelled Backwards.” The social impact film and content series features Tim, a rising star in canine behavior, the lovable dogs he trains within the shelter system, and the dedicated, compelling personalities among the shelter workforce.
With his longtime creative brother in arms, film Director Richie “Abstrak” Soto, these two former professional breakdancers team up once again to give festival-goers a first-hand account of life in the shelters. “Dog Spelled Backwards” follows Almeida’s mission to tell compelling stories that inspire change. “As you might derive from the title, our dogs can help us become better to each other, call it God or what you will but I’ve seen it and I’m excited to share it,” says Almeida who has spent the last five years working in shelters, helping dogs become more fit for adoption.
The film debut at Slamdance will also kick off his groundbreaking, social impact “Shelter to Shelter” campaign aimed at raising awareness of shelter dogs and professionals, improving the adoptability of shelter animals through training, and exploring the mental health benefits of the relationship between human and dog. “Helping dogs and their people is my calling and while there’s a lot of work to do, specifically in the shelters, there’s also a lot of beauty to share from the shelter community,” says the private dog trainer and first-time film festival selectee.
Almeida and Soto are developing a suite of branded content addressing dog behavioral training and advocating for improvements in the shelter system. Tim’s message extends beyond Slamdance and into social and streaming platforms to spread awareness about these remarkable animals. According to Matt Beisner, Host of Dog: Impossible, Disney +, “Tim Almeida has a gift, the ability to see dogs for who they are. You can’t help but watch his work, because he can’t help watching how the dogs work in him.”