My Dog Killer

The drama of one day. Eighteen-year-old Marek lives in a bleak environment near the Slovak-Moravian border with his winemaker father and racist friends—hooligans. Marek's best friend is his dog, who is perfectly trained to defend against all intruders. Marek's life is suddenly shaken by a shocking secret he discovers about his long-lost mother.

This dramatic contemporary story, characterized by its rawness and high degree of authenticity, touches on current issues in our society, such as racism, unemployment, and dysfunctional families. The lack of empathy and tolerance in his surroundings affects the immature protagonist, whose only friend is his dog. Screenwriter and director Mira Fornay commented on interpersonal relationships in her film: "The drama of mother and son is not only a portrait of a family that has to come to terms with the mistakes of the past, but also a story of a society that, out of fear of emptiness, has come to believe in disposable happiness, fame, and material wealth."

The film, which won the Tiger Hivos Award at the 2013 Rotterdam International Film Festival, also addresses a timeless existential theme: "It is a story about purification, the search for identity and family. It is a story about our faith, why we believe in something and how, in retrospect, our faith influences our lives," says Mira Fornay.