Black Dog

After his release from prison in 2008, the taciturn, troubled Lang returns to his hometown, somewhere on the edge of the Gobi desert. China is on the eve of the Beijing Olympics, so the authorities are keen that everything looks good. That also means eliminating stray dogs from the streets. Lang goes to work as a dog catcher, and in the process he crosses paths with Xin, a black stray dog who fascinates him immensely. A special friendship develops between the two and together they embark on a journey through vast plains and deserted streets.

In beautiful, serene images, director Guan Hu shows how modernisation and rapid economic growth have also reached the far corners of the country, and what impact that has on people (and animals), especially those who cannot keep up with the pace. Both Guan Hu and the dog Xin won awards at the last Cannes Film Festival.