Sidmouth: The Donkey Sanctuary praises new films featuring donkeys

The Donkey Sanctuary, an animal welfare charity with a site near Sidmouth, has praised two new films for featuring donkeys.

In his acceptance speech for best actor at the Golden Globes, Colin Farrell paid tribute to co-star 'Jenny', a miniature donkey, who plays the role of his best friend in The Banshees of Inisherin.

Polish film director Jerzy Skolimowski also thanked six donkeys he used for his movie EO, which tells the story of a donkey's journey through the hands of different owners, some of whom treat him well, while others who do not.

Faith Burden, Executive Director of Equine Operations at The Donkey Sanctuary, said: "The film EO is beautifully shot and offers a rare opportunity to view the world from a donkey's perspective.

"The portrayal and billing of the donkey as the central character clearly demonstrates the filmmaker's deep appreciation of these emotional and highly intelligent animals.

"While we do not encourage the use of donkeys purely for entertainment, we do appreciate that films featuring donkeys can be used to educate, inform and advocate on their behalf.

"In recognising and celebrating the intrinsic value of donkeys, we hope these poignant films will elevate the status of donkeys in the eyes of the public and give them the recognition and status they deserve."