Giuseppe the cat was forced to be a “bubble boy” due to an incurable condition called Feline Leukemia Virus. His parents tell the story of his life and untimely death while exploring the importance of acknowledging our pet loss grief and leaning on our communities for support.
“Bubble Beppo” is a short documentary about the filmmaker’s cat, Giuseppe, who passed away from an incurable condition called Feline Leukemia Virus. The film will intimately follow the director’s grief journey and how she found peace and connection after a traumatic loss. The film will educate the audience about feline leukemia virus (FeLV) and address misinformation that people receive about FeLV and other incurable conditions in cats, as well as how they have low adoption rates. We will discuss proper veterinary care for these cats and how pet parents can best take care of their companion pets. We want to give space for the audience to feel seen in their grief journey by calling attention to its importance and pointing out the harmful ways our western society deals with death. We seek to change the narrative around death and dying, particularly with pets, and push our society to a more empathetic approach to the grieving process. This deeply personal documentary seeks to educate and empower pet parents to make the best decisions for their furry companions as well as removing the stigma around pet loss grief and encouraging the audience to deepen their view of what companion pets can mean to humans.
Follow this link to donate to the crowdfunding campaign!
https://southerndocumentaryfund.networkforgood.com/projects/294857-bubble-beppo
Impact Campaign
We are encouraging audience members get involved in their communities to make change and spread awareness by donating to local animal shelters, fostering animals, seeking out mental health services, and asking for pet loss bereavement policies to be enacted at their workplace and in their local government policy. To keep up to date on the film and to participate in the campaign enter your email below!
Crew Bios
Sarah Bosler – Director/Editor
Sarah is a film editor and documentarian based in Louisville, KY. She is currently in production on her directorial debut titled “Bubble Beppo” about her experience losing her cat from Feline Leukemia virus and the pet loss grief that came after. She edited and associate produced “After the Flood” a documentary for Kentuckians for the Commonwealth about the devastating floods that swept through eastern Kentucky in 2022. Sarah has worked as an online editor for documentaries like The Nuclear Frontier, Pinball (True/False film fest), and Cornbread Mafia (SXSW). Her focus is on creating emotionally driven films that challenge how audiences view the world. Sarah’s films dig into topics such as the climate crisis, family dynamics and mental health. She has an evocative and thoughtful approach to cutting together stories.
Madeline Weiner – Producer
Madeline Weiner is a filmmaker living in Louisville, KY. She graduated from the University of Louisville with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Fine Arts. After working as a cartoonist and comic book artist for several years, she shot her first short, Blanch, in 2022. She co-produced her first feature film, LandLord, in 2023, and attended the 2024 Frontières Buyers Showcase at the Cannes film marketplace. She has also worked in production accounting and coordinating on films such as Wildcat (2023), Carved (2024), A Mother’s Love (post-production), The Revisionist (post-production), Dead Man’s Wire (post-production), and Regretting You (post-production). Madeline intends to create narrative films with a focus on gender and sexuality, religion, and intersectional feminist perspectives on culture and genre.
Melody Peace – Director of Photography
Melody Peace is a DP and filmmaker raised and based in the upper south with almost a decade of experience working in the camera department. In 2023 she shot the award winning documentary short “After the Flood,” covering the 2022 Eastern Kentucky floods and 1st AC’d the 2024 documentary short “The People Could Fly,” which was admitted into Black Star and Doc NYC. In addition to her documentary work, she was the 2nd Unit DP on the feature film A Christmas Pitch. When she is not on set, she keeps herself busy working on the board of Women in Film Kentucky.
