Dogtooth

Dogtooth is a 2009 Greek absurdist psychological drama film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and written by Lanthimos with Efthimis Filippou.

Dogtooth (Greek: Kynodontas) is a 2009 Greek absurdist psychological drama film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and co-written with Efthimis Filippou. The film follows a couple who isolate their three adult children and control their understanding of the outside world. It won the Prix Un Certain Regard at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival and was nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the 83rd Academy Awards.

Premise

The film depicts a family living in isolation on a private property, where the parents manipulate language, behaviour, and information to shape their children's reality. The children remain cut off from ordinary society well into adulthood.

Production

Dogtooth was directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and co-written with Efthimis Filippou. It is a Greek-language film and is listed with a running time of 97 minutes.

Release and reception

The film premiered in 2009 and gained international attention after winning the Prix Un Certain Regard at Cannes. It later received an Academy Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

Themes

Reviews and descriptions commonly identify the film as exploring control, isolation, indoctrination, and the breakdown of artificial family systems. Its tone is frequently described as unsettling, satirical, and surreal.