Dogtooth (2009) Kynodontas (original title)

Director:

Giorgos Lanthimos

Writers:

Giorgos Lanthimos (writer)
Efthymis Filippou (writer)

Release Date:

11 November 2009 (Greece)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The cat is the most feared animal there is!

Plot:

Three teenagers are confined to an isolated country estate that could very well be on another planet...

Plot Keywords:

Factory | Clipping One's Fingernails | Erection | Sleepmask | Dog

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 11 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Christos Stergioglou	...	Father
Michele Valley	...	Mother
Aggeliki Papoulia	...	Older Daughter
Hristos Passalis	...	Son
Mary Tsoni	...	Younger Daughter
Anna Kalaitzidou	...	Christina
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Steve Krikris	...	Colleague
Sissy Petropoulou	...	Secretary (as Athanasia Petropoulou)
Alexander Voulgaris	...	Dog trainer

Directed by
Giorgos Lanthimos

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Efthymis Filippou		writer
Giorgos Lanthimos		writer

Produced by
Giorgos Lanthimos	....	co-producer
Iraklis Mavroidis	....	executive producer
Athina Rachel Tsangari	....	associate producer
Yorgos Tsourgiannis	....	producer

Cinematography by
Thimios Bakatakis

Film Editing by
Yorgos Mavropsaridis

Casting by
Christina Akzoti
Alex Kelly

Set Decoration by
Elli Papageorgakopoulou

Costume Design by
Elli Papageorgakopoulou

Makeup Department
Vanessa Nerkanidou	....	hair stylist
Sissy Petropoulou	....	makeup artist (as Athanasia Petropoulou)

Production Management
Stavros Hrysogiannis	....	production manager
Kolisoglou Olga	....	assistant production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Christos Nikou	....	second assistant director
Kostas Papadakis	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Magdalini Avgerinou	....	set dresser
Dafni Iliopoulou	....	set dresser
Dimitris Theoharis	....	construction coordinator
Kyriaki Tsitsa	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Leandros Ntounis	....	sound recordist
George Ramantanis	....	final mixer
Dimitris Rouhitsas	....	boom operator
Yiannis Skandamis	....	final mixer

Special Effects by
George Alahouzos	....	special effects
Roulis Alahouzos	....	special effects
Michalis Samiotis	....	rain special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Christos Douros	....	first assistant camera
Thanasis Gogas	....	electrician
Aggelos Mantzios	....	second assistant camera
Giorgos Metaxas	....	first assistant camera
Yiannis Papadakis	....	grip equipment
Mihalis Rokos	....	lighting technician
Thomas Varvias	....	first assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Magdalini Avgerinou	....	assistant costume designer
Dafni Iliopoulou	....	assistant costume designer
Kyriaki Tsitsa	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Vangelis Gousias	....	negative cutter
Nikos Katoufas	....	colorist
Ioanna Pogiantzi	....	assistant editor
Tony Ford	....	colorist (uncredited)

Other crew
Giorgos Bikas	....	production assistant
Nikos Borova	....	production assistant
Maria Gizeli	....	location manager
Angela Grimani	....	receptionist
Theodoros Haralabidis	....	runner
Vicky Miha	....	assistant to producer
Christos Nikou	....	script supervisor
Dimitris Nomikos	....	titles typography
Maria Panaritou	....	accountant
Gerasimos Pantos	....	water truck operator
Sofia Papoulakou	....	production secretary
Vasilis Parasamlis	....	production assistant
Hristina Pigaki	....	legal advisor
Hristos Pilatakis	....	insurer
Kyriaki Symertziadou	....	accountant
Dimitris Tolias	....	accountant
Nikos Tsiolas	....	production assistant
Sotiris Tsioutas	....	accountant

Thanks
Dionysis Agalianos	....	thanks
Giannis Basibaglis	....	thanks
Vanessa Ferle	....	thanks
Anna Georgiadou	....	thanks
Dimitris Halkiadakis	....	thanks
Behrooz Hashemian	....	thanks
Giannis Houvardas	....	thanks
Hristina Hristoforou	....	thanks
Dennis Iliadis	....	thanks
Coti K.	....	thanks
Panagiotis Kalakos	....	thanks
Stelios Kalergis	....	thanks
Kostas Katintzaros	....	thanks
Elena Konstantinidou	....	thanks (as Eleana Konstadinidou)
Panos Koronis	....	thanks
Kalina Kyratsouli	....	thanks
Stelios Likouresis	....	thanks
Zoi Lisgara	....	thanks
Babis Makridis	....	thanks
Vasilis Marmatakis	....	thanks
Olga Massa	....	thanks
Mikis Modianos	....	thanks
Giola Nene	....	thanks
Panagiotis Pantelatos	....	thanks
Olga Papada	....	thanks
Dina Papadimitriou	....	thanks
Flora Papageorgakopoulou	....	thanks
Dimitris Papaioannou	....	thanks
Katerina Papanagiotou	....	thanks
Thanos Papastergiou	....	thanks
Simos Sarketzis	....	thanks
Giorgos Serdaris	....	thanks
Anthi Skorda	....	thanks
Spooky	....	thanks
Foteini Vasilopoulou	....	thanks
Christine Vlachos	....	thanks
Alexander Voulgaris	....	thanks
Antonis Xenos	....	thanks

Production Companies

• Boo Productions
• Greek Film Center (co-production)
• Horsefly Productions (co-production)

Distributors

• Aya Pro Company (2012) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Feelgood Entertainment (2009) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Filmfreak Distributie (2010) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (Benelux)
• Filmswelike (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Kino International (2010) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• MK2 Diffusion (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Njutafilms (2011) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Tour de Force (2009) (Norway) (theatrical)
• Against Gravity (2011) (Poland) (all media)
• Avalon Productions (2009) (Spain) (all media)
• Clap - Produção de Filmes (2010) (Portugal) (all media)
• Feelgood Entertainment (2009) (Greece) (all media)
• Film1 (2011) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• I-On New Media (2011) (Germany) (DVD)
• Kino International (2009) (USA) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2009) (Australia) (all media)
• Madman Entertainment (2011) (Australia) (DVD)
• Verve Pictures (2009) (UK) (all media)

Other Companies

• 7 Stars  thanks
• Accelere  telecine
• Athenscasting  casting
• Cinefilm Athens Lab  post-production facilities
• Cinegram  camera equipment provided by
• Cinegram  special thanks
• Frame by Frame  camera equipment provided by
• Fujifilm Hellas  film stock
• Fx Box  camera & lenses
• Imagina Computer Graphics Team  thanks
• Kino  lighting
• Kino  special thanks
• Kino  trucks
• Kodak Cinelabs Greece  thanks
• Kraft Hill  thanks
• Lexicon Factory  avid editing
• M. Modianos Productions  special thanks
• MNP  poster design
• MNP  title design
• Pinewood Studios  optical sound
• Studio DNA  sound post-production

Also Known As:

"Kynodontas" - Greece (original title)

Runtime:

94 min

Country:

Greece

Language:

Greek

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | Argentina:18 | UK:18 | Hong Kong:III | Netherlands:16 | Hong Kong:III (Hong Kong International Film Festival) | Ireland:18 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/18 | Australia:R | Canada:R (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | France:-12 | Germany:16 | USA:Unrated | South Korea:18 | Japan:R18+ | Japan:R15+ (edited version)

Filming Locations:

Athens, Greece

Company:

Boo Productions

Trivia:

The title comes from one of the lies that the parents tell the children, that they will only be ready to leave the household when their dogteeth fall out.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the bathroom scene, where the girl is trying to remove her tooth, when the girl is hitting her mouth in front of the mirror with the dumbbell, as she is laughing, blood running in her jaw, after the cut, her jaw is clear without blood.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Mother:The new words of the day are: "Sea", "Highway", "Road trip" and "Shotgun".

Movie Connections:

Referenced in O Cão (2010)

Soundtrack:

Pou na 'sai tora agapimeni

Love at first sight

I'll start by saying: This is the best film I've ever seen! I think if you summon up Seidl, Haneke, Korine and Trier the result is Lanthimos. I'm speechless. Suddenly I remember why films like this has to be made. I love what there's no rules. When there's not necessary a need for understanding and no fixed answers given. It's a film you shouldn't even write an review about. It peels of every false layer of the human being and at deepest question the modern humanity. What have we become. It says to us: think outside the box. Live, without limitations. Embrace, even the madness. Life is a play. Now when this is said I must also compliment how beautifully it's filmed and edited. The scene with the barking dogs, which abruptly breaks into silence and into the tragic family constellation. It's finest art. And I laughed loudly, and my heart beating so fast. I was falling in love. I love this film, just as much as I love for example Elfrede Jelinek's texts. I love this film so much it hurts. I have no more words.