When Kate, an isolated and vulnerable young mother struggling to make ends meet, is offered help by her neighbour Marie, she finds herself pulled into a community that may not be as virtuous as it seems.
“No Dogs” is a short film set against the backdrop of the Watsonville Riots of 1930 when anti-Filipino violence raged across California’s Central Valley. It confronts the history of racial discrimination against Filipinos. Written by Alex S. Fabros, Jr. and Georgina Tolentino the 2021 film introduces audiences to Marisol, a Filipina who seeks safety after the bombing of a taxi dance hall where Filipino men and white women socialize. As the night grows darker and the sounds of gunshots louder, Marisol finds herself in the most unlikely of places: seated in a diner with a white man named Carl.
A 16-year-old girl arrives at the hospital to identify her mother's body. However, the hospital staff, concerned about her young age, denies her access to the morgue. She faces great obstacles as she tries to navigate the opaque layers of policies and bureaucracy in order to identify the body. She has no uncle, grandfather or father to accompany her or vouch for her.
But after much begging and pleading, the receptionist finally allows her to go back. But when she finally gets a private moment with the body, the young girl has more on her mind than simply saying goodbye, as a whole other layer of action and meaning unfolds.
The short has been nominated for a Palme d’Or at the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival.
Director: Alireza Ghasemi
Writer: Alireza Ghasemi
Stars: Khorshid Cheraghipour, Roya Bakhtiyari, Amir Taghdiri
