SXSW Film Preview: Dogtooth

Imagine never being allowed to leave your house. A couple of years ago, it would have been hard to imagine that someone would sequester their entire family for the entire span of their lives. But then we found out about that guy in Austria and the tales of horror that he laid upon his household.

Dogtooth is not exactly the same story, but this Greek drama does touch on the same principle: an iron-fisted and unnamed patriarch is the only person in this family of five that interacts with the outside world. While he goes off to his factory job every day, the children stay at home, learning worthless lessons from droning cassette tapes. Apparently there is a phone in the house, but it is hidden and only the no doubt brow-beaten mother knows where it is.

On occasion, Christine, a fellow employee of dear-old-dad and the only named character in the film, is allowed to visit, but it is this tiny crack in their prison-like security that leads to the demise of the father's cruel charade.

Dogtooth, may give the appearance of being a horror film, but it's not. From what we can tell, Director Giorgos Lanthimos has created an uncomfortable space for an audience to sit in for 94 minutes, and is probably not for the squeamish. Winner of the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes, which recognizes young talent, and encourages innovative and daring works, it will be unlike any other film at this year's festival. Perhaps Dogtooth is this year's Antichrist. Chaos reigns?

Dogtooth screens Friday, March 12th at 6:45pm at the Alamo South Lamar and again on Friday, March 19th at 5:00pm at the Alamo Ritz. For the full schedule, see my.SXSW or B-Side.

NSFW trailer after the jump!