Black Dog

Returning to his hometown on the edge of the Gobi Desert after a lengthy stint in prison, Lang (Eddie Peng, fantastic – Jump Ashin!) is the classic anti-hero: slinky, sullen and into motorbikes. The town is in strife, with buildings under demolition orders and abandoned dogs roaming the streets. Weeks out from the Beijing Olympics, the town officials decide to crack down on the stray canines, particularly the elusive Black Dog. The story of how Lang finds his canine soulmate is full of surreal twists and turns and Lassie-like heroics – not to mention a circus troupe, a lonesome tiger, a sneaky performance by acclaimed director Jia Zhangke (Caught by the Tides), and a snake farmer called Butcher Hu. Hit director Guan Hu (The Eight Hundred, The Sacrifice) relishes the sandblasted setting, making this strikingly shot Cannes winner an irresistible cinematic treat.