Dog

Ben Tan’s short film Dog examines the scariest moment in a teen’s life: being forced into adulthood without warning. Summer (Alexis Felix) is a 19-year-old teen forced by her mother to take her blind sister, Lex (Nastasia Koulich), out with her tonight. Summer wants to hang out with friends at a local rave, and now Lex is going to cramp her style.

At the rave, Summer is going hot and heavy with Tommy (Alexander Carstoiu), while Lex is standing by the wall just taking things in. Feeling a bit self-conscious, Summer takes Lex outside for some fresh air, and the boys follow them for a bit of fun.

“…the scariest moment in a teen’s life: being forced into adulthood without warning.”

Dog is about the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Summer is forced to confront this transition head-on. She starts by being forced to care for her blind sister. Second, she must fulfill her role as a sister to Lex, and third, she has to protect her from the boys’ shenanigans. There’s a fourth I didn’t mention that essentially seals the deal for Summer. She’s an adult now and can never go back.

Shot in black and white, filmmaker Ben Tan immediately sets an anxious, exhilarating tone reflecting Summer’s experience. However, a pivotal moment at the end will resonate strongly with viewers. It comes out of the blue and ties everything together in Summer’s journey. Films should make you feel, and it’s not easy to shake this one off.