On November 21, Scandinavia House presents a special screening and film talk of Latvia’s official entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards: the bawdy adult animated feature Dog of God, followed by a live Q&A with directors Lauris and Raitis Ābele.

Dog of God
Dir. Lauris Ābele & Raitis Ābele | Latvia/United States, 2025

“Spectacular, bold, uncompromising” — In a medieval town drenched in autumn rain, a sacred relic is stolen. Passion, witchcraft accusations, shamanism and a deal with an otherworldly plant that possesses aphrodisiac superpowers lead to chaos in the accursed hamlet.

Set in the 17th century in a destitute Latvian village, a local priest named Buckholz (Reginar Vaivars) goes on a crusade to punish the local tavern owner, a woman named Neze (Agate Krista), whom he’s been lusting over and is accusing of witchcraft. When he finally makes her stand trial, it’s interrupted by a werewolf named Theiss (Einars Repse), who brings with him a psychedelic and carnage-filled spectacle that will change the village forever. Loosely based on the real-life account of one of the last werewolf trials held in 1692, Dog of God offers a twisted tale of debauchery, Latvian folklore, and anarchic humor.

“A grungy flashback that juggles fire, brimstone and a very 21st century gloss of hip irony (…) destined for a long shelf life as a cult favorite amongst enthusiasts of dark fantasy, graphic novels and genre-stretching absurdist cinema, à la Yorgos Lanthimos.” (Dennis Harvey, Variety)