What is it about tiny Dachshunds sprinting toward a finish line? Maybe its the folks who would gather to watch such a spectacle. Maybe its the dogs themselves, who display the hearts of real competitors despite no natural propensity for racing. Either way, Elise Ballard, the director and producer of The Lord of the Wiens: A Dachumentary has captured all the real-life drama, comedy and unusual characters in her charming film about the annual Buda Wiener Dog Races and Costume Contest in Buda, Texas.
Why make a movie about a wiener dog race?
I love the film Best in Show, which is a mockumentary about dogs and their owners, and the documentary Hands on a Hardbody, which also is about a unique kind of contest in a small town in Texas, so I went in with that sort of style for it. I also loved that the event raises money for nonprofits.
The films title and promotional images spoof The Lord of the Rings. What gives?
Well, for the last few years the theme of the races is a spoof of a movie. For example, it was Gone with the Wiens, Wieners of the Caribbean, and this year it was Star Wiens. The year I shot the film it was Lord of the Wiens. I thought it was brilliant and hilarious!
Who are the heroes of The Lord of the Wiens?
The dogs, themselves. I think they really just make the movie unique. They are intense and have personality and intelligence and are so funny when they run around, though so few of them really even run in a straight line. They just adore their families and each other, and the dogs bring out the best in their owners. The film really became about love and how the dogs help make up families and bring all different kinds of people together.
Posted: June 8, 2006, 5 a.m. EST