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In "German Shepherds Need Heroes Too" Roman Selim Khereddine reflects on the popularity of German and Belgian shepherd dogs in Morocco. "Do you inherit your dog's violent history?" he asks, taking into account that these dogs have been used in military and police work ever since their standardization as breeds at the turn of the 20th century. The video-essay traces the history of these dogs as mediums in hierarchical relations between different human groups, ie., in concentration camps, colonies and civil rights protests. The human-animal relationship is portrayed here as one shaped primarily by violence and domination, while the potential for agency of both owner and dog is questioned. "How much of your violent history does your dog inherit", then? Found footage – videos uploaded to Youtube by Moroccan dog fanciers, and news clips – is combined with an essay, which appears as a series of captions. In his text, Khereddine draws from colonial history, Islamic tradition, popular/meme culture as well as his own experiences, memories and opinions.

Roman Selim Khereddine (b. 1989) holds Master Degrees in History and Fine Arts. He lives and works in Zurich, Switzerland.