Underdog

Gal Gonen

Israel / 2024 / Fiction / 19’27”I2502992

Underdog
BO Visionner Images

SYNOPSIS

Mali,(18ׂ) is a young urban woman who can't find her place in life. She is frustrated and angry and has never felt like she belonged. The only thing she likes is paint on walls with graffiti. After destroying a building in the city, she is sent to community service in a kennel at Kibbutz Bror Hayil. The kibbutz workers do not accept the ""odd bird"" that had landed on them. She's just waiting for the time to go home. One evening, before the big adoption day, she meets a rejected dog that no one wants, even Shira (25), the square manager of the kennel, chooses not to take his picture, claiming it will scare people away. Mali sees him as a reflection of her character and identifies with him, she decides to try and understand why he doesn’t let anyone near him. Even after he bites her, she does not give up on him. she notices several ticks on his body and pulls them out for him. Then, she decides to let go of his leash, but suddenly he escapes outside the kennel. Frustrated, Mali searches for him in the fields and can barely find him in the dark. She tries to seduce him with food, but he doesn't trust her. Only after she shows him vulnerability, he gets closer to her. They spend the night on an abandoned couch on a hill. When they return the next morning, Shira is Furious with her, but Mali only cares about the dog and its fate, because for the first time, he has brought meaning to her life. It’s adoption day and new beautiful dogs arrive. Mally decides that she’s saving the dog at all costs. In a desperate and extreme move, she uses the only tool she knows, the paint container, and paints him white. Shira gets mad and decides to report the act. But at the same time, a little girl and her mother, walking into the office with the dog and claiming to want to adopt him, he is the only one who really looked the girl in the eye. The dog is calm and happy, looks at Mali and she looks back at him, more mature, happy about the change she has undergone thanks to him. Shira also realizes she was wrong. Mali is sad about the separation, but happy that thanks to her he got a chance at a new life.

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