White God

From its audacious opening scene of an enormous pack of dogs chasing a girl on a bicycle through deserted Budapest streets, it's clear that White God is a strange beast. Director Kornel Mundruczo has created a beautiful and bizarre film that veers between gritty realism and haunting fantasy, and from a human perspective to a dog's-eye-view of the world. Zsofia Psotta plays 13-year-old Lili who is sent to stay with her father (Sandor Zsoter) while her mother travels abroad, but he's not keen on having an additional houseguest - her crossbreed dog, Hagen - and dumps the animal by the side of the road. Hagen then begins his incredible journey, searching for his owner and finding both kindness and cruelty along the way, giving rise to some scenes of violence and dog fighting that are hard to watch. At the same time, a determined Lili sets out on her own rebellious path. Although it works as an allegory about oppression and the underdog, this is ultimately a tale of two misfits searching for love and acceptance. It's a unique film that proves that working with children and (lots of) animals, can be a risk well worth taking.