Dir: Ivan Fund | Cast: Marcelo Subiotto, Mara Bestelli, Anika Bootz | Drama 91’| Argentina, Spain, Uruguay
In a dog cemetery in the depths of the Argentine pampas a little girl is visiting ‘Snoopy’s’ burial place. Anika, 9, is an animal communicator who has special powers. Her gift is for interpreting the thoughts and feelings of dogs, cats, and even hedgehogs, and relaying messages to their loved ones in the real world, and beyond the grave.
Anika lives in a camper van with Myriam and her partner Roger, who drives. At night the three of them bed down to the sounds of the distant motorway. But when Anika’s tooth falls out there is no coin from the fairies under her pillow in the morning, her opportunistic guardian is too busy making money for herself: Myriam has found a way of monetising Anika’s gift for her own benefit, and has even developed a ridiculous sales patter to convince gullible punters.
And while the girl’s mother languishes in a mental institution, Myriam and her Roger shamelessly exploit the child’s unique ability by offering animal medium consultation for profit, with Roger taking the card payments from the ‘client’.
Yet this oddly poetic three-handed portrait of innocence and guile couldn’t be more subtle with its sober black and white images and gentle ambient score. The landscape looms large and dominates a slow burning road movie that contemplates child exploitation. It’s only in the final scenes that Myriam is driven to shame. @MeredithTaylor
BERLINALE | PERSPECTIVES 2025