The Donkey Refuge-Ben Asphaug
Documentary Video Ìý9:26
This short documentary explores a donkey sanctuary for abused and neglected donkeys. Through observational footage and interviews, the film examines compassion, animal welfare, and the quiet labor of care behind giving neglected working animals a dignified home.
Benjamin Asphaug is a Boulder-based documentary filmmaker and photographer whose work explores contemporary stories and historical events through his use of videography and sound design. Recently, he has been working on a short documentary about a donkey sanctuary, exploring the overlooked reality of farm animal neglect. He is currently a fourth-year student at the University of Colorado Boulder, earning his degree in media production and a minor in history.Ìý
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"The Donkey Refuge" is a short documentary set in Morrison, Colorado, following Rachel and the donkeys she has dedicated her life to caring for. Nestled against the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, her sanctuary, Hee-Haw Halfway House, serves as a refuge for donkeys who have endured years of neglect, overwork, and abuse. Through intimate observational footage and candid interviews, the film pulls back the curtain on the quiet, unglamorous, and deeply human labor of animal rescue. It asks the audience to reckon with how working animals are treated once their utility runs out, and what it means to offer dignity to a creature that cannot ask for it themselves.Ìý
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