New Shoots: Monkey Lovers

Dawn and Lee have spent the last two years raising a family of twelve in their 3 bedroom house in Manchester: 4 kids, all under the age of 10 and a troop of 8 marmoset monkeys. Across in Yorkshire Jean and lodger Joe have turned their ordinary semi-detached house into a zoo with nearly eighty animals. It’s the monkeys that have really taken over though. There are 22 of them and just getting their breakfast is a three hour commitment. Monkey Lovers is an intriguing portrait of these two couples and their extended families. Dawn and Lee and Jean are Joe are passionate about monkeys, and happy open up the secrets of their daily routines, reflect on the ways the monkeys have taken over their homes and their lives, and share their fears and hopes for the future. Ex-doorman Peter, made his first film about an animal refuge centre in Bolivia as part of his graduation. He started working as a researcher with Darlow Smythson before being commissioned by 4 Real to make his first broadcast documentary.