A bilingual book to mark the first season of ‘Amigos Imperfeitos’ (Imperfect Friends), a series of YouTube videos that tell the story of disabled animals in the Algarve, is due to be launched “very soon” but needs sponsors to help increase the number of copies printed.
The 100-page publication will be released by national publisher Alma Lusa which pitched the idea to 38-year-old photographer Carlos Filipe, one of the people behind the project.
“The idea was to launch a book with pictures of all the animals that were featured in the first series of the show. However, for the book to be more than just a collection of photos, I decided to transcribe the animals’ stories, too,” Carlos told the Resident.
In other words, the plan was to “transform the videos into a written document”, in Portuguese and English, which can also be used as an “educational tool” at schools.
The 23 animals featured in the ‘Imperfect Friends’ series are included in the book, with each one having their own four-page story and photo collection.
And if readers want to learn more about any of the animals, there is a QR code for each one of them which can be used to access the ‘Imperfect Friends’ videos.
The book costs €20 (plus shipping) and will be sold directly by the author. To purchase the book, you must make a bank transfer (IBAN: PT50003300004530261839205) and then send the proof of payment to email address [email protected], with your name and address. The book will then be sent via post. Call + 351 924 387 898 for more information.
Carlos explains that proceeds will be used to fund the project and, if possible, help the animal associations involved. Anyone interested in sponsoring the book can contact Carlos Filipe directly.
A preview of the book can be viewed online at https://issuu.com/almalusa.org/docs/20190711_livro_amigos_imperfeitos_c
Inspirational Boris
Carlos Filipe started down this road when he returned to Portugal after years living abroad. He had lost his passion for photography and only got it back after adopting his dog ‘Boris’, a Portuguese Podengo.
“I was at my workplace when a young boy came by, saying he had found this dog roaming the streets. He was about two months old and still had a rope around his neck. We believed he had escaped from some camp,” Carlos told us, adding that the connection was there straight away.
“I know it sounds like something out of a movie, but he completely changed my life.”
While Boris helped spark his love for photography, particularly animal photography, he also ended up representing a huge responsibility for Carlos.
“He has atopic dermatitis, so his skin is extremely sensitive. He loses his fur with ease,” explains Carlos, adding that he spends around €300 to €400 every month on medicine for Boris.
But in the end, he says, it is completely worth it. Boris became the friend he needed, and that is exactly what ‘Amigos Imperfeitos’ is all about – imperfect friends that are just perfect!
Photos: Carlos Filipe
){kind=link}