It’s time for a dog’s-eye perspective with Stray, the feature debut of director Elizabeth Lo.
The streets of Istanbul are filled with dogs thanks to Turkey’s rules regarding the stray population. They live alongside humans but aren’t really domesticated like the canine companions that live in people’s homes, creating an odd dichotomy that plays out in the streets. The documentary Stray singles out three of these dogs, giving us a no-frills look at their lives.
If you’re anything like me, then you immediately thought this looked like Kedi but dogs. That doc followed Istanbul’s enormous cat population and similarly positioned cameras as if the story was being told from the animal’s perspective. It’s a striking doc, especially if you’re a cat person, but the magic of it was its reflection on the humans who interacted with the felines.
From the reaction to its festival run, Stray does in fact seem to be picking up where Kedi left off. Praise for the documentary has been rapturous, keying in on the same reflection of humanity through the animals we care for.
That means this doc could hit some big emotional triggers (I basically only cry in dog movies, okay?), and to sweeten the pot, Lo has kept this doc to 72 minutes. Perhaps that’s a reflection of her background in shorts, but whatever the reason, it sounds like this doc packs a potent punch.
Stray is directed by Elizabeth Lo and stars man’s best friend. It will be released online in the US on March 5th, 2021. For international release dates, click here.
Will you check this one out? Let us know in the comments!
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