The first film ever made by a Bedouin filmmaker offers a solid exploration of writing as a therapeutic tool for addressing the past and present traumas of our main characters and ties it nicely with the complexities of distant relationships.

Nevertheless, the parallel plot, which drives much of the conflicts of our character, involving the suffered sexual abuse, wedding arrangement, and relationship with his wife feel considerably underdeveloped.

While the core themes are compelling, the execution falters, leaving some storylines feeling incomplete.

This movie presents a heartfelt love story that, while extremely delicate and corny, holds some charm.

Unfortunately, the depiction of hearing impairment feels clichéd, and the turning point comes out of nowhere, disrupting the narrative flow. The conflicts between characters are unfounded and exaggerated, leading to a final twist that not only feels bots unsurprising and absurd but most worryingly it undermines the overall message of the film.

Black Dog boasts stunning photography, with wide shots, pans, and tracks capturing the vastness of the Gobi Deserts and the desolation of the town where our story takes place.
The quiet but cool protagonist and his dog share amazing chemistry, with touching parallelisms to their “stray dogs” behaviour and relation to society and their surroundings.
Unfortunately, the other stories in the film, particularly the love story, fail to reach the same level of engagement and quality.