Munich Film Festival Review: My Dog Killer (2013)

Cast: Adam Mihál, Marián Kuruc, Libor Filo
Director: Mira Fornay
Country: Slovakia | Czech Republic
Genre: Drama

Editor’s Notes: The following article is part of our coverage of the Munich International Film Festival. For more information on the festival visit filmfest-muenchen.de and follow the Munich International Film Festival on Twitter at @filmfestmunich.

Humanity is driven by relationships and that’s what keeps mankind sane enough to lead its life. If an individual in society experiences a life that involves less personal relationships, it may end up in disaster to society as a whole. Mira Fornay’s Czech drama My Dog Killer explores the consequences and impacts of an individual who grows up in the society that neglects him personally.

The film, though it moves at a constant pace in describing the attitude and the emotions of the characters, takes a turn in the final moments and leaves us shell shocked. We can sense a feeling of calmness throughout the film with rugged landscapes, obsolete vehicles, ably supported by the brilliant lighting.

Marek (Adam Mihal) is a guy who grows up in a family of an ailing father and a mother that has left the family long ago. His sole companion is his dog named ‘Killer’ and he trains him everyday apart from his normal chores to help his dad. He grows up in the small town that is near the border of the Czech Republic, which looks secluded from the nearby villages, prevalence of peace everywhere and waiting for a disaster to happen.

In order to raise money, Marek’s dad decides to sell off his property, but faces the problem of getting the signature from his wife, as they are both not yet divorced. As a result, he sends Marek to the town where his mother lives to get the signature and finish off selling the property. Marek gets help from his friends with respect to transport and he leaves his dog to them. During the journey, he meets several people of his family, less known to him and the film is all about the impacts of his journey while returning back to his home town.

Marek neither shows his emotions nor he is compassionate toward his mom, Marika (or to any others for that matter), and that can be felt with many instances of altercation between them. Marika also has a son, Luka, from her relationship with a gypsy and both of them are subjected to plenty of criticism and boycott by their family as well as from the general public.

Marek uses a fairly old model of moped for his journey, which is being constantly mocked by the local kids in town, whereas Luka is really interested in going for a ride with Marek. He goes for a ride with Marek, but Marek, out of nowhere, takes Luka to his hometown after getting the papers signed from his mother.

(Director) Mira Fornay makes us have a greater understanding with regards to the characters of the film, but as soon as we get to know about them, the film packs a punch on us and leave us with a void in our mind and a gulp in our throat.

The film, though it moves at a constant pace in describing the attitude and the emotions of the characters, takes a turn in the final moments and leave us shell shocked. We can sense a feeling of calmness throughout the film with rugged landscapes, obsolete vehicles, ably supported by the brilliant lighting. Though Marek makes most of the screen presence, little can be revealed from what is really going on in his mind, blame it on his upbringing and neglect from his parents. Only social acquaintance he has with the world is through some of his friends and the boxing club, which he misses quite frequently. Most of the time, you can see him play only with his dog and it is one of the many reasons that he is socially awkward and reserved.

Mira Fornay makes us have a greater understanding with regards to the characters of the film, but as soon as we get to know about them, the film packs a punch on us and leave us with a void in our mind and a gulp in our throat. Keep calm and prepare for what you don’t see more often, from this cold-blooded Czech drama.

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Venkateshwaran Ganesh

Staff Film Critic. Visit my personal blog at framesofeternity.wordpress.com

Venkatesh is a cinephile, who always try to relate some of the moments of his everyday life with the moving pictures. Though he started a bit late in exploring world cinema, directors like Kubrick, Bresson, Kieslowski, Kurosawa, Satyajit Ray made him stay in this wonderful world of cinema for years to come. Even in the midst of an apocalypse, he tweets @venkkeyy about films. And you can check his not so active blog http://framesofeternity.wordpress.com/ and motivate him time and again.

Latest posts by Venkateshwaran Ganesh (see all)

• Munich Film Festival Review: Silent Summer (2013) - July 6, 2013
• Munich Film Festival Review: My Dog Killer (2013) - July 5, 2013
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