A perk of attending Fantasia International Film Festival is having the chance to see films from countries around the world. Many films are from countries audiences likely have never seen a film from before. This year, Fantasia audiences had the chance to see a Latvian film written by Lauris Abele (Troubled Minds, Baltic Tribes), Raitis Abele (Troubled Minds, Baltic Tribes), Ivo Briedis (The Film, Mutiny), and Harjis Grundmanis with the Abeles also directing. Dog of God depicts an isolated 17th century village run by a sex-crazed baron and a sinister priest. When a local tavern maid is accused of witchcraft, it throws the village into chaos.

Dog of God mixes familiar themes often depicted from this era while also delivering some fascinating new mythos. On the surface, audiences will recognize the common tale of innocent women being accused of witchcraft by repressed, egotistical, cruel representatives of the church. While the tavern maid does create different potions and mixtures, it’s all for medical purposes as she tries to help other villagers. The film also highlights the divide between the rich and the poor during this time period. The baron lives in an extravagant manor, eats to access, and spends his money on frivolous things such as exotic birds while the rest of the village lives in squalor. Yet the villagers aren’t all that innocent, especially with how easily they turn on those who have only ever tried to help. All of these themes are very well done, telling a story that perhaps has been done before, but not in this specific time and place. It’s a melting pot of lust, hate, guilt, poverty, and opulence that inevitably leads to ruin, but the journey to that end will captivate viewers from start to finish.

With the strong connection to religion, Dog of God manages to depict new ideas and interesting lore connected to Christianity. While this lore is compelling, it also feels a bit incomplete. This is most apparent when looking at the titular “dog of God” character. The character ties together ideas of being an instrument of God with lycanthropy, but by the end of the film it seems as if this character did little to add to the plot. With the film being named after this man, one would think he would have a more important role aside from adding a bit of context and lurking in the background, rarely adding to the story at hand. In fact, there are almost too many characters introduced with equal importance to the plot, resulting in rather shallow character development for all. The ending of the film will also likely leave some audience members feeling conflicted, specifically in how it depicts the fates of two main characters.

A huge draw of Dog of God is that it was rotoscoped. For those unfamiliar, this is a technique in which animators trace animation directly onto live-action footage. This means live actors performed, then the footage was gone over to create an animated look. With the dark fantasy tone of the film, choosing to rotoscope the film was a brilliant way to add beauty to the often shocking and gruesome imagery. The unique visual aesthetic will surely catch the attention of audiences everywhere, but the imagery itself will no doubt polarize viewers. Sometimes the film depicts stunning magical realism and religious iconography, but for the most part the animation highlights things that are more graphic and grotesque. This includes a lot of penises, sores and decay, and even a very up close, detailed cat anus. Whether you love or hate the visual choices, it certainly leaves a lasting impression.

Because the film was rotoscoped, it does make it somewhat difficult to critique the performances in Dog of God. It loses some of the humanity of the characters and makes the actors’ facial expressions more difficult to read. Despite that, there are still a few standouts. Agate Krista (Shoal) plays Neze, the tavern maid and healer. What makes this character and Krista’s performance memorable is in how she remains steadfast and confident, even in the face of possible death. Regnars Vaivars (Tur, Lotus) plays the village priest. This priest is the epitome of the worst side of religion. He craves power, lusts over what he can’t have, and has no regard for human life if he sees someone as beneath him. Vaivars makes it easy for the audience to loathe this character, making him as vile as possible.

Dog of God relies on unique, shocking visuals to convey a tale of religion and depravity that will undoubtedly polarize audiences. It’s clear the Abeles have a lot to say with this film. While the imagery is strong, the plot almost has too much going on, making it lose some depth and focus. It’s the kind of film audiences need to experience for themselves. Whether they love it or hate it, Dog of God is a film people will remember and debate for years to come.

OVERALL RATING: 6/10