Albany mother Kate Mitchell rolls out red carpet to premier new educational film ‘Fangs on the Farm’

An animated film, Fangs on the Farm, which aims to educate remote and regional children on how to respond in medical emergencies, has made its world premier at the Perth Zoo before a big audience. Albany mother of three and health and physical education teacher Kate Mitchell, who co-produced the film, said she was inspired by having to perform CPR on her 16-month-old son Darcy who had a tonic-clonic seizure at their farm, five hours from Perth. This life-changing medical emergency drove her to create the educational film that empowers children to respond to things such as snake danger in the bush. The film stars three main animated characters - Darcy Dingo, Gracie Gecko, and Harry Hopperoo, - who encounter challenges in their rural environment and learn to handle tricky situations with confidence and resilience. The world premier evening event brought more than 100 family, friends, and educational supporters to the Perth Zoo’s Maali function centre on Saturday, November 9, with guests enthralled by Ms Mitchell’s production, the first of a planned series. “Through humour, mateship, and engaging storytelling, Fangs on the Farm teaches children best-practice first aid responses in a way that resonates with young viewers,” Ms Mitchell said. Fangs on the Farm was created by highly acclaimed film and television practitioners including illustrator Kate Rutter Cartoons in NSW, Margaret River-based animator Rikkili Clark and Kojonup-based writer, director, and producer Bec Bignell. Ms Mitchell, as co-producer, was assisted by executive producers Adrian Koharski, Isabella Key and Jessica Bonney. She said the production initiative went beyond entertainment. “It aims to address the lack of health resources and support available to families in regional Australia,” she said. “The pilot episode focuses on the proper response to snake bites, a prevalent risk in many rural areas. “Growing up in Hyden, I experienced firsthand the unique challenges faced by rural communities — I‘m committed to creating educational content that’s not only informative, but also relatable and engaging for kids.”