From Los Reyes to Space Dogs, it’s been a strong last few years when it comes to canine-focused arthouse cinema. The latest entry in the subgenre is Stray, which marks the feature debut from Elizabeth Lo and follows the daily wanderings of Istanbul’s orphaned dog population. Shot over three years, the film premiered at Tribeca Film Festival in 2020 and will now arrive in early March via Magnolia Pictures. Ahead of the release, the first trailer has now arrived.
Glenn Heath Jr. said in his review, “Educated at Stanford’s renowned documentary filmmaking program, Lo has always brought a keen sense of cinematic rhythm to everyday human routines and patterns. But with Stray, she hands over all control to the dogs, letting their movements and distractions and glees dictate blocking and camera movement. The film’s first half is a beautiful city symphony as a result, positioning the modern world as merely backdrop to Zeytin’s sonic curiosities and primal explorations.”
Watch the trailer below.
Stray opens on March 5.