Movie Review: Stray
TATUM REGISTER | MAR. 21, 2021 | ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
“Human beings live artificially and hypocritically and would do well to study the dog,” is displayed in white font on the first screen of the film. More of these powerful quotes from dog-loving, Greek philosopher Diogenes are shown prior to specific scenes throughout the new fascinating 2020 documentary, “Stray.” This unique film, which premiered Friday at Jacksonville’s Sun-Ray Cinema, elegantly illuminates the beauty of life without status or security. Directed, produced, filmed, and edited by Elizabeth Lo, the picture exposes viewers to the leisure and pleasurable lifestyle of three delightful street dogs living in Istanbul, Turkey. Her directing, with the assistance of sound designer Ernst Karel, constructed an exciting film full of adventure that puts spectators into the paws of a street puppy. Unaffected by the chaotic world that surrounds them, the dogs reveal their value to society and underappreciation by humans.
Filmed entirely at the same height as the street dogs, this is not your typical melancholic dog film. Being her own cinematographer, Lo sends viewers on a journey with the dogs with her unique position of the camera angles. She levels the instrument to follow the puppies at their height, staying over their shoulders as they walk the streets of Istanbul. Exquisitely constructed, the piece follows the treks of street dogs Zeytin, Nazar, and Kartal, all of whom lead a leisurely lifestyle, meet humans along the way, and grow a familial connection with a group of Syrian immigrants. While following their journey, the film explores the liberty of life without shelter, including various clips of the strays peacefully sleeping or happily eating beside the busy street which completely juxtaposes their lifestyle.
Lo highlights the significance of dogs to society by incorporating clips of their encounters with pedestrians. The pups formed a familial bond with three homeless Syrian boys while living with them in an abandoned construction site. As undocumented immigrants, the boys faced a number of troubles, one of which was finding a stable home. Utilizing cinematography again, whenever the Syrian boys discussed their life hardships, the film uniquely focused on the dogs on the screen lying down in their presence. Lo’s inclusion of the calamity and excitement that the dogs brought to the men’s stressful lives highlighted the enjoyment that the furry friends bring to humans.
Although the film had minimal background music, the film score managed to contribute essential elements to the film’s success, such as captivating viewers and constructing a more surreal experience as the dogs embarked on their journey. Composer Ali Helnwein was selective with where he placed background music in the film and only incorporated it in moments when Zeytin or the other featured dogs would play or walk to their next destination. An adventurous and exciting mood is felt when the background music includes an upbeat tempo with violin tunes playing at an increasing speed as the dogs are shown meeting new people, climbing mountains, and traveling down dirt roads.
Lo breaks language barriers, as even though the main dialogue is in Turkish, the emotional experience remains universal. Understanding the language is not required to comprehend the experiences of these dogs. The silence of the countryside and the background noise of the city very easily and subtly contribute to the portrayal of the day to day experiences of the stray dogs’ lives.
At first glance, one might assume that the film is another typical heart-wrenching dog movie that ends with lots of tissues and tears. However, this film “Stray,” develops in a unique direction, sending its audience down the streets of Istanbul on an exciting odyssey with various stray dogs. The film explores the connections that the furry companions make to humans along the way, and their relaxed lifestyle. The documentary strays from the typical version of documentaries with interviews and instead features dogs as the focal point. Through cinematography and music, it places viewers into the life of strays and exposes them to the overlooked contributions that dogs make to society.