Black Dog

Black Dog | 2024 | 12A | Dir. Guan Hu | China | IMDb 7.2 | Subtitled | 110 minutes

Winner of A Certain Regard at Cannes in 2024, Black Dog is a beautifully filmed exploration of human resilience and the need for connection. A taciturn loner, Lang (Eddie Peng) recently released from prison returns to his home - a dying Chinese town on the edge of the Gobi Desert.

Hauntingly beautiful widescreen photography offers a window into a rarely seen side of modern China.

Lang takes a job clearing the streets of stray dogs before the 2008 Beijing Olympics and unwillingly strikes up a rapport with the titular Black Dog (Xin).

Director Guan enigmatically blends social realism, dead pan humour and elements of surrealism to ensure this story of Man and Dog avoids all cliches.

The nuanced performances from both Peng and Xin as two lost souls seeking redemption amid societal decay gives adage to the old saying

“You may not get the dog you want but you get the dog you need!”

Xin won a Palm Dog at Cannes for his performance and the rapport between Peng and Xin was so genuine that Peng adopted the dog after filming!

·       Screen 2 upstairs

·       Doors open 7pm

·       Welcome from our chair Paula Stott @ 7.30pm

·       Free parking after 6pm if you DISPLAY an orange parking voucher, available from the Odeon lobby

·       Unreserved seating

·       We invite every viewer to score the film afterwards using a token system in the lobby

Tickets for non-members will go on sale at 7.15pm in the lobby or earlier if space allows.