Feral Love (2016)

• 85%
• 2016
• Documentary
• Markie Hancock
• Dorian Rence
• Richard Fried
• Brenda Johnson

Crazy cat lady or world-class musician? Dorian Rence smashes our notions of what matters and who counts in 'Feral Love.' A violist with the New York Philharmonic for 40 years, Dorian also cares for a feral cat colony in the tunnels of New York City. You decide. 'Feral Love' follows world-class musician Dorian Rence who has performed with the New York Philharmonic for 40 years while caring for a feral colony of cats in the railroad tunnels of New York City. 'I frankly don't see a big difference between the life of a cat and the life of me' she states as we gradually come to understand and respect her work with ferals and her rise to the elite ranks of professional musicians. Born in Oklahoma to a father who was both a farmer and a clarinet player, Dorian started piano lessons at the age of five and then violin lessons. After acceptance to the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music as a violist, she won her audition with the New York Philharmonic at age 21. Dorian was the seventh woman to enter the New York Philharmonic and has played with all the great conductors and soloists including Leonard Bernstein, Pierre Boulez, Zubin Mehta, Luciano Pavarotti, Isaac Stern, Yo Yo Ma, to name a few. "Feral Love" tracks Dorian as she cares for and ultimately rescues the cats in her colony during a particularly brutal winter. We are accompanied on this journey with the gorgeous music of a New York Philharmonic string ensemble featuring Dorian Rence on the viola.