Deus Branco

Lili is eleven years old and has a beloved dog – Hagen. Her parents are split up and when her mother has to go for a 3 month jolly with work to Australia – she has to stay with pops. Only he lives in an apartment where mutts are verboten. All cross breeds are seen as inferior to pure breeds in Hungary.

Despite her best efforts Hagen ends up on the mean streets of Budapest and she, in her innocent way, sets out to find him. Now that is the very simple synopsis for what is a film with so much more to offer. This is a cast of thousands – of dogs that is. All of the mixed breed dogs were untrained and rescued from shelters. The performances are stunning. There are scenes of animal butchery and animal cruelty – so if that will offend then this may not be for you.

It is also a parable about how one species dominates another in the belief it is the superior – and we all know that in parables pride leads to a fall.

This is also shot beautifully in a beautiful city with stunning realism and an eye for the impact that such a powerful story can make. Official entry fro the Academy Awards for best foreign language film 2015 and winner of Un Certain Regard prize at the 2014 Canes Film Festival – this is amazing, original, stunning and highly entertaining cinema.

I would not call it a horror movie unless they meant the animal torture that was difficult to see if you are an animal lover like me. The movie is well made if you think about some scenes that have more then one hundred dogs in it. It sure must not have been easy doing that. But honestly it was not my kind of movie. I don't know why I watch this kind of movies sometimes. I just can't stand watching animal abuse even if I know it is fake. The revenge of the dogs is also not very credible honestly. A pack of dogs would never act like that but I guess it's okay because it's fiction. Zsófia Psotta, the kid playing Lili, did a good job though. She obviously has talent as an actress. All in all it's not a bad movie but, if you like me don't like to watch animals getting abused, then I would just skip this one.

White God if one of those achievement can only be done outside USA. Working with real dogs instead of digital effects; this movie is a cautionary tale about rejection, lack of communication, discrimination and its effects and consequences. Lili owns and loves a half breed dog called Hagen. Her mother planning three month trip with his new boyfriend; send her to live with her father; Daniel; a sour and frustrated man that rejects the dogs from the first moment. Lili try to take the dog with her everywhere but many people complain; including a messy neighbor who calls the dog catcher's.

Adding to the problem that Hungary's law has a tax on half free dogs; and Daniel refuse to pay it because his ex-wife did not do it either. In a moment of anger; Daniel left the dog on the street and Hagen has to find his way back.

The world surrounding the streets is far from idyllic. Hagen meets other dogs and somewhat befriends them; but dog catchers appears and capture many dogs. Hagen escapes but is captured by a dog fighter trainer who trains him and soon becomes a violent and salvage dog.

After killing another dog; Hagen escapes again; but is captured by the dog catchers who seeing him hurt; decide to kill him. Hagen who already demonstrated how intelligent and perceiving is; attack the human and release other dogs (hundreds of them) and go on killing spree around the city attacking humans who tortured them putting the city under curfew and creating chaos.

The most outstanding, compelling and moving performance is Hagen itself; played by two dogs; really Oscar deserving.

The rest of the cast; specially the 12 years old Zsófia Psotta as Lili are incredible good in a character quite strong, trying to be adult but still too young to be by herself. Everyone of her moments in screen is captivating.

In brief; a very intense movie; with a little but necessary gore worth seeing even in video.

At first it seems like a children's movie, but then it becomes too dark. It's a well made movie. The girl's acting is good.

It can be useful for us to reflect on the treatment we have with our pets or with animals in general.

A strange day in the life from a dogs perspective Luke and Boy play a dog who accompanies a girl to stay with her father while her mother's away. Hardship hits when Lili's new environment is not dog friendly.

It's like the movie Homeward Bound. LiLi and the dog get separated and he attempts to find his way back to her, but it's far from Disney story telling as the dog deals with animal catchers who feel more like crooked cops, the dog pound that acts like a prison, and an underground dog fighting circuit that feels like an early Jean Claude Van Damme movie.

It's action pack, horrifying, dramatic, and touching all at the same time And though a movie from an animal's perspective is not new, it's never been done it such an adult matter.

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