Black Dog

Somewhere in the steppes of Northwest China, hundreds of dogs run down a mountain toward a remote road, where a bus overturns. Among those crawling out of the wreckage is Lang, a mysterious, silent, ex-convict returning home after 10 years. Along with a black dog, he tries to reconnect with his friends and family.

Black Dog begins with all the characteristics of a western. The film takes place in a desolate town where villains roam free, and it seems to have all the makings of a political allegory, as the story could also be seen as a commentary on the clash between reality and dreams in 21st-century China. However, it soon becomes clear that Guan Hu's film is neither of these things.