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A minibus is heading for a small, desolate town on the edge of the Gobi desert. A pack of stray dogs charges towards it, scaring the driver and tipping over the bus. Out of it comes Lang, an ex-convict who used to be a popular stunt motorcyclist, now returning to his hometown after 10 years in prison for the murder of a local gangster's nephew. A few conversations with the police later, the title card appears, and the magic of Black Dog begins. A poetic and minimalist film of healing and moving on, portrayed through a friendship, a bond, a spiritual connection between man and dog. The man is Lang, and the dog is the infamous thin black dog that has been terrorizing the town. Rumored of carrying rabies, the black dog goes around defending his territory by pissing on walls and biting people, so everyone is out to catch him.

Black Dog is a story of two lonely strays caged by a world that does not understand them. Two lost souls alienated by the society around them. Two black sheep who do not fit in. Lang is marginalized because of his past as a "murderer", and the black dog is also alienated amongst the other strays for being the biggest, strongest, fastest and most aggressive of all the dogs. One of Guan Hu's main messages in Black Dog is that no animal is evil. Humans can be, but dogs cannot. Stray dogs are violent because they're in constant fear, trying to survive in an evolving environment where they do not belong. Lang is similar to a stray dog. He's not like the others. He only says a few words in the whole film as he's very quiet and introverted. Like the black dog, he's trying to make a life for himself in a town that's in the process of modernization. After his time in prison, Lang has changed, and so did the town and the people he once knew. So now, he doesn't speak, he only exists and goes with the flow. That's why Lang and the black dog are so perfect for each other and why they instantly connected-they're both just trying to survive in a world they no longer know, a world that no longer wants them.

Black Dog is set during an important time for China, a time of urbanization and change. And this little town is impacted deeply. Most of its residents have fled, leaving their dogs behind, who now roam free in the streets and in the desert hills. The zoo is running out of money to sustain the animals, so they too are freed in the desert. The circus is trying to survive, but business hasn't been good. The old is being demolished to make way for the new, which is a clever pararell with the ending of the film, where the black dog dies but leaves behind a new generation of black puppies. The cinematography of Black Dog is gorgeous, with Guan Hu adopting the new "slow-cinema" Chinese style of Bi Gan, which made me fall in love with the film almost instantly. Long, panoramic shots of beautiful landscapes, quiet scenes of motorcycle rides and slow walks through dusty roads and desolate rural villages, are all complemented with a lonesome atmosphere.

Scenes like Lang and the black dog calmly passing through the desert's stray dogs, and the solar eclipse sequence with the zoo's tiger wandering the town's streets freely, are two of my favorite of the entire year so far. And the final shot of Black Dog is so beautiful and meaningful. Through his canine companion, Lang finally learns how to keep on living despite his dark past, and how to find happiness within life's miseries. The Pink Floyd soundtrack gives a certain nostalgia to Guan Hu's relaxing images, and the acting performances are absolutely stellar, human and animal alike, from Eddie Peng to the black dog named Xiao Xin, and the majestic tiger. Just the fact that Eddie Peng developed such a strong bond with Xiao Xin while filming that he felt he had to adopt him afterwards, is a beautiful real-life illustration of the message of this wonderful film. A melancholic and meditative journey of finding your place in the world through friendship, and a genuine tribute to man's best friend, Black Dog is simply one of the best films of the year, and proof that Chinese arthouse cinema is still very much alive.

Black Dog is a hauntingly beautiful exploration of human resilience and the complexities of morality. Directed with remarkable subtlety, the film masterfully blends psychological depth with poetic storytelling, creating an experience that lingers long after the credits roll.

The strength of Black Dog lies in its characters. Each one is richly drawn, with motivations and struggles that feel deeply authentic. The protagonist's journey is portrayed with such raw vulnerability that it's impossible not to empathize, even as their decisions veer into morally ambiguous territory. The supporting cast elevates the narrative further, delivering performances that are understated yet profoundly affecting.

Visually, the film is a masterpiece. The cinematography captures both the starkness and the beauty of the settings, using light and shadow to evoke an atmosphere of tension and melancholy. The use of symbolism is subtle but powerful, adding layers of meaning without feeling forced or pretentious.

The pacing is deliberate but never dull, allowing the story to unfold organically. This measured approach heightens the emotional impact, drawing the audience deeper into the characters' world. The soundtrack, too, deserves special mention-it complements the narrative perfectly, blending traditional and modern elements to underscore key moments.

At its core, Black Dog is a meditation on survival and redemption. It challenges viewers to confront uncomfortable truths about human nature while offering a glimmer of hope amidst the darkness.

A beautiful, slow-burn, and memorizing tale of the grim environment of the rural parts of China with strong performances, direction, writing, and structure. Filmmaker Guan Hu achieves with exploring the relationship between man and dog from a Chinese perspective and filled with gorgeous camerawork, sound designs, and interesting narrative choices, it brings out the realism, engagement, and examination of the characters in a nature way.

With little dialogue, the sobering approach, art-house pacing, and style really brings the narrative into a whole new light. The performances from Eddie Peng and the rest of the cast are great and many of the characters, while some characters could have been explored a little better. I appreciate the movie on exploring about dogs, humanism and society without a biased approach and crafting something that is unique.

Having won the Un Certain Regard prize, I can see why.

"Lang" (Eddie Peng) has returned to his hometown after a term in prison. We learn a little more about the causes of that and of his distant relationship with his zoo-keeping father as the story develops, as well as discovering that he once was one of the place's more famous citizens being in a popular local band. With the Beijing Olympiad (2008) looming large, there is quite an emphasis for the government on tarting the place up - and that signals quite significant "improvements" for their home on the edge of the Gobi desert. Much of it has already been earmarked for demolition, and with most of the heart (and soul) of the place already removed, the authorities turn their attention to the serious problem of hundreds of feral dogs marauding around potentially spreading rabies. There is one particularly skinny black one that is worth 1000 Yuan if it can be caught, and that's the target for the motor-cycling "Lang". Thing is, this mutt is no mug, and is soon doing more of the chasing (and biting). One particularly embarrassing nibble sees both confined to his home in quarantine and that's when the bonds begin to become established and we also realise the extent of hostility felt by some to this man. With the bulldozers never far away, his ailing dad's zoo no longer able to care for it's tenants and the vengeful butcher "Hu" (Hu Xiaoguang) and his thugs out for revenge, we settle into a tale of this newfound friendship that's quite engaging. It's predictable in stages, but it's really the largely dialogue-free effort from Peng set against a backdrop of relentless winds, dust and trains rolling through the increasingly lifeless town that gives this a bit of potency. It's not so much that the town is being cleared because of the Olympics, though that's clearly on director Hu Guan's mind, it's that why was a town ever here in this inhospitable place in the place? It's bleak and forlorn, a concrete oasis in the middle of nowhere and that setting works well as the man himself comes across as lonely, detached as well as emotionally and physically rootless. It's a slow watch, but not one that drags, for two hours and it rather effectively sums up an existence of mundanity, lack of opportunity and a desire for a true sense of freedom quite well. Be warned, not a great deal happens - but I did enjoy it.

Outstanding drama directed by Hu Guan from China, so, no wonder it won the top honour in the Un Certain Regard sidebar at Cannes for this year.

The story revolves around a guy who, following a period of incarceration, comes home and takes a job ridding a town of stray dogs in time for the Olympic Games. The drama is set on the edge of the Gobi desert in Northwest China. However, he unexpectedly bonds with a black dog, and the two of them set out on a new adventure.

The dog star of the movie took home a dog award earlier in the day when he received the Palm Dog Grand Jury prize! If you love dogs, amazing cinematography, exceptional acting and directing - do not miss this one... impossible not to enjoy it!