“White God” (2014). Directed by Kornél Mundruczó. Starring Zsófia Psotta.  Lili is a 13-year-old girl whose dog, Hagen, is tossed aside by a callous father. She fights to protect Hagen, and strives to get the abusive adults in her town to stop, as it is their actions that drive the dogs to revolt and attack them. A Word of Warning: This film isn’t for animal lovers. It is rather brutal and is revenge porn in its own way. This time, it’s dog revenge porn, as the animals escape their tormentors and gang together to stop them from ever hurting another dog ever again.

Lili has a dog, named Hagen. Lili also has a Mother, who lets her keep the dog. But Lili’s Mother has to go from her home in Hungary to a conference in Sydney, Australia. So, she is dropped off at her estranged Father’s apartment. He does not like dogs. Let’s face it, he barely likes Lili. His landlord also doesn’t allow dogs. She overhears that the dog will be taken to a shelter. She brings it to her orchestra rehearsal, where he causes a commotion that gets Lili kicked out. Dad handles this well by pulling over to the side of the road and leaving the dog and driving away.

A Girl and her Dog… and her Trumpet

That’s when Hagen’s adventures in the city begin. He is chased around by animal control. He is “saved” by a homeless man who hides him under a blanket. The man sells Hagen to a dealer, who is getting dogs together to sell for illegal dog fights. He is purchased, bulked up, abused and drugged so he can fight.

These are very difficult scenes to watch, especially if you love dogs. My son, who is studying to be a veterinary technician, did not stay past the fifty minute mark of the film.

The film makes the impression that adults are dicks, especially in their dealings with children and pets. Lili’s Father gets rid of the dog. The Orchestra Leader takes her back, but humiliates her in the process, making her admit to behavior in the same manner as Winston Smith does in “1984”. Other adults promote dog fighting and pet abuse. Within the first hour of the film, you want the dogs to take over.

After winning his first dog fight, fate intervenes. The lights go out at the arena and Hagen makes his break, escaping down the road.

Meanwhile, Lili is on a journey of her own. A trip to the dog impound is fruitless, with another unfeeling adult. She ends up with an older friend that takes her to a club. There, she meets vodka, strobe lights and loud rock music. In the end, she finds herself at the police station. Her Father comes for her and actually shows something other than been an ass. He realizes his daughter is no longer a child.

Hagen is reunited with a fox terrier he met in his first run at freedom. The two are quickly captured by animal control and taken to the same pound that Lili looked for him. The woman who Lili met fails to recognize him as her dog. On adoption day, a woman looking at Hagen, puts her hand in his cage and is bitten. Hagen is now marked for death.

Jailbreak!

While taking him to the area housing all the dogs to be destroyed, he gets loose. The attendant tries to get him under control and promptly has his throat ripped out. As he falls, the other dogs get loose. Hagen leads a jail break through the town, knocking people down and ripping bags from their hands. They end up at the concert hall where Lili is playing.

She realizes that they are there because of her.

Hagen knew her trumpet playing and followed the sound. She hops on her bike and goes through the street and is overtaken by the dogs. Falling from her bike, the dogs pass her, leaving her.

Lili has the strange feeling that she is being followed.

Hagen finds the man who trained him to be a killer. He and the other dogs tear him apart. Next stop is the Central Market, where the dogs take revenge on the owner of the meat shop that chased Hagen and others with a cleaver.

Lili finds the dead owner and Hagen’s friend, the fox terrier.

The next to go is the owner of the Dog Fighting Arena.

Meanwhile, the fox terrier is leading Lili to Hagen. At least until a sharpshooter takes him out.

A group of soldiers are tricked by Hagen and the others, and they break through the lines. Lili comes back to the apartment to find her Father’s assistant is now a victim. Lili finds her Father, hiding out at the meat packers. She warns her Father that he isn’t safe. He isn’t the only one, as Hagen and his horde show up and head toward Lili. With nowhere to run, she holds her ground to face Hagen.

Her Father comes out with a makeshift flame thrower. Lili has had enough from both sides and does the smartest thing she could do. She pulls out her trumpet and plays the song that she played for Hagen so many times. He and all the dogs lay down.

After the song, Lili lays down and faces Hagen. Her Father joins her and we are left with the image of two humans and a multitude of dogs, lying peacefully in the courtyard. The only sound to be heard is a bird singing in the tree.

As hard as this film is to watch, it is done so well. The humans are believable with Lili trying to make the transition from child to adolescent. The adults are generally unsympathetic and play that well. The dogs are well-trained and inspire lots of sympathy. But the treatment of Hagen through the film is very unsettling. The camera often switches from the abuser’s point of view to the dog’s point of view. It creates several disquieting segments that no PETA ad could ever equal. That is the true power of this film.