Near the end of its brisk 73-minute runtime The dog that won’t shut up. (El perro que no calla), a sequence executed in hand-drawn sketches depicts a meteorite landing on Earth. The event changes our access to oxygen. Now, the main gas is only 4 feet above the ground, which means people have to either walk or wear a bubble helmet like an astronaut to stand up straight. The funny sci-fi concept packs a deeper meaning that reminds us how even in 2020, profit comes before safety.
But by the time this collective blow happens, Sebastian (Daniel Katz, the director’s brother), an unremarkable man in his 30s living in Buenos Aires, has already changed his life because of his desire to stay true to himself. Wally has gone through several changes. Released in 2021 but filmed before the 2020 global shutdown, this existential tragicomedy from filmmaker Anna Katz takes a close look at the forces that shape our destiny and how we cope with them. Its black and white gem is associated with both impotence and perseverance.
One of Sebas’s worried neighbors come to his door one day to complain about his dog Rita, who, according to them, cries non-stop while he’s at work, though we never actually get a peek from Rita. , which adds to the story. Absurdity Loneliness, they all think, is the cause of animal suffering. So Sebás starts bringing pets to his office work as a graphic designer. But her superiors aren’t happy with Rita’s presence, if only because it opens the door for other employees to flout the code of conduct. (Capitalism expects us to live our lives in short bursts of time between productivity and the burden of mundane tasks.) Sebas gets an ultimatum: either the dog stays home, or he’s fired. . He leaves on the spot.
Each short chapter after this turning point, oscillating between melancholy and fun, takes Sebas in momentary directions: a stint working the land in the countryside, living with his mother in the city. Going back to, looking for part-time. Caring for a man with cognitive illness, or being part of a farming cooperative where he finally feels fulfilled (if only for a while). The passage of time—months and even years—is marked by Sebás’ distinctive hairstyle. He eventually settles down with a romantic partner and becomes a father during the oxygen crisis. And it is then that bubble helmets raise the issue of class. Only those with sufficient funds have access. Their value, a sense of normalcy, benefits the wealthy and makes others eager to steal them.
Brimming with endearing timidity, Daniel Katz’s performance confirms that Sebastian is neither a loser nor overconfident. He moves quickly with life’s changes, trying to get back on his feet but aware that he can’t be tied too tightly to any one version of himself. Sebás accepts life as a beautiful thing to do and does not wallow in uncertainty. This is commendable. His loyalty to Rita served as the catalyst for him to scrap any image of his future he had built up and start over several times, only to find out the terrifying unknown. Step towards how to maintain happiness.
The dog that won’t shut up. Anna Katz’s sixth feature, as a director, and even more so as an actor, and perhaps her most formal venture yet. Like Alka, Katz uses rough sketches created by production designer Mariela Rapodas (sometimes animated in a rudimentary style) to create moments that would be too painful or too expensive to shoot or create with VFX. These handcrafted pieces feel in sync with the film’s unfussy charm. Co-written with Gonzalo Delgado and shot by five different cinematographers, Katz’s most recent piece of unorthodox cinema is a thoughtful reflection in a brief and unholy vessel, which makes it all the more admirable. . The title of the obnoxious dog ultimately signifies that within us that prompts us to strive for something soul-nourishing during our limited time.
Although The dog that won’t shut up. Premiering at the Sundance Film Festival in 2021 to great acclaim, the film is currently unavailable to stream, rent, or purchase in the United States. It enjoyed a short run on Mobi but has since been beaten down by a churn of vertical and unforgiving content that rarely supports exceptional international titles. Hopefully, like its protagonist, the film will soon get another chance to be properly discovered in the state.
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