Black Dog

In this darkly comic state of the nation film, Lang (Eddie Peng) is newly released from prison and looking for any way to scrape a living. He joins a dog-catching crew, tasked with cleaning up a Gobi desert outpost before the 2008 Beijing Olympics. He soon uncovers a world of corruption and absurdity, as he moves through the spectrum of Chinese society.

Featuring one of the most endearing and playful canine performances of all time, this Cannes prize winner is at times an hilarious slapstick buddy comedy. But there is plenty of shade – not least from the stunningly bleak widescreen cinematography – as the film offers a true snapshot of recent Chinese society.