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The Dog Thief

Vinko Tomicic
festival
Sat 26 Apr 25 - Thu 1 May 25
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This real-life film about a boy’s search for a father figure in La Paz (Bolivia), provides a profound, nuanced insight into human relationships and loneliness.  

Martín, a thirteen-year-old orphan, works as a shoe shiner on the streets of La Paz, Bolivia. He has a learning disability and is bullied at school. One of his best customers is Novoa, a lonely tailor whose only company is a beautiful shepherd dog. Martín steals the dog and offers Novoa, who is unaware that he is the thief, his help in finding it. 

Inspired by Italian neorealism, 'The Dog Thief' provides a faithful depiction of life in La Paz, Bolivia. Sergio Armstrong’s cinematography captures the city in a vivid and authentic way. The story follows a boy searching for love and acceptance in his relationship with the tailor Novoa and his dog. The film avoids moralistic judgments, instead focusing on a profound exploration of human relationships and social isolation. 

direction
Vinko Tomicic
cast
Teresa Ruiz, Alfredo Castro, Franklin Aro Huasco
duration
90 min
year
2024
country
Bolivia (Plurinational State of)
language
Spanish
Subtitles
English
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Vinko Tomicic

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"A meditative portrait of a young shoeshiner in the Bolivian capital of La Paz" − Cineuropa