Veterans of the IDF’s Oketz canine unit brought their retired military dogs to a special screening of Brad Pitt’s Heart of the Beast at HOT Cinema in Kfar Saba on Thursday evening, with the dogs sitting on cinema seats beside their former handlers.
The audience included dozens of combat veterans and reservists, among them wounded veterans, according to event organizers. The cinema chain made special arrangements to accommodate the dogs at the screening in the central Israeli city.
Participants were members of HaHolchim BaRosh, the alumni association of Oketz, the IDF unit whose soldiers serve alongside specially trained military dogs. The retired dogs attending the event now live with their former handlers in their civilian homes, organizers said.
Directed by David Ayer, Heart of the Beast follows Special Forces officer James Belmont, played by Pitt, and his combat dog, Odin, after a plane crash leaves them stranded in the Alaskan wilderness. The pair must survive the terrain and the elements together.
Film’s portrayal of soldier, his dog connects with IDF veterans' experiences
Organizers drew a connection between the film’s portrayal of a soldier and his dog after military service and the experiences of the veterans attending the screening. They said the story reflected the bond between handlers and their dogs and the challenges that can continue after their service ends.
HaHolchim BaRosh supports Oketz veterans as they move into civilian life and maintains a community for former members of the unit. Its work includes helping veterans enter the workforce, supporting wounded members and bereaved families, and caring for the welfare of retired military dogs.