Hungarian director Kornél Mundruczó has been a distinctive voice in European cinema since the ironically titled Pleasant Days in 2002. Since then, he has brought us the operatic Johanna (2005); minimalist murder story Delta (2008); and modern Frankenstein adaptation Tender Son (2010). The one thing predictable about his career – apart from consistent quality – is its unpredictability.
In White God, that unpredictability is woven into the heart of the film which is, by turns, a chilly saga about the effects of marital break-up on a girl just entering her teens; a remake of animal adventure The Incredible Journey set in downtown Budapest; a gore-soaked creature feature; and an apocalyptic fable about how we treat our pets.
Or, if you prefer, it’s the story of a girl and her dog – together, separated and together again: heart-warming, certainly, but not in the way you would expect. It’s a film that takes a walk on the wild side in more senses than one; but it’s also a film that no serious movie-lover should miss.
White God, Vue West End, Fri Oct 10, 12.45pm; also Sun Oct 12, Odeon Covent Garden, 8.30pm; and Mon Oct 13, Curzon Mayfair, 6.30pm, bfi.org.uk/lff
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