Sundance Films 2015 M1: White God

When dogs look upon us, they look upon us as like Gods...  and we are white (at least, in Hungary); thus "White God" What an amazing film, and so hard, deliberately, to characterize. Coming of age film?  Check!  Eleven year old Lili is pushed off to live with her divorced, sad, barely-functioning father for an extended stay, but there is no room at the inn for Lili's beloved companion, a mixed-breed dog named Hagen. In a fit of piss-off, her father throws Hagen out of the car in the middle of the city (Budapest). Lili's search for Hagen and Hagen's life as a street-dog take up much of the rest of the film.  Both of these are complicated, REAL complicated. Lili grows up some. Hagen transforms. and the find each other in the end, but both are transformed, perhaps beyond reconciliation...

It's complicated and well-played. Hagen and the street dogs become honest to goodness, nuanced, complex characters in this film. Of the four main characters, two are canine. The acting, canine and human, super good.

"Spirals out of Control" might best describe the plot, but heartfelt and emotional. CrAzY, yet touching. Leading to a climax - then left ambiguous. Fabulous storytelling, to back your characters into a corner and to end the film there, leaving much to the viewer. Fabulous!

In Hungarian with English Subtitles. The dogs spoke canine, no subtitles required. Unlikely to show up at your local Cineplex.