2017 · thriller · latvian

The Foam at the Mouth

Directed by Jānis Nords · 1h 20m · 2017

After losing his leg, ex-cop Didzis focuses on training his three beloved police dogs. His estranged wife Jana, a doctor at the local sports school, seeks romantic fulfilment with Roberts, a 17-year-old student and a promising swimmer. After a secret randez-vous, Jana hits a rabid wild boar with her car and eventually spreads the virus to Didzis’ dogs. The accident ignites dark suspicion and jealousy in Didzis. Busy with finding and punishing Jana’s secret lover, Didzis overlooks the ever-growing strangeness and aggression in his now infected dogs. Just as the love triangle becomes toxic, the dogs escape and threaten the local town. Facing both personal and professional fiasco, Didzis decides to take matter in his own hands.

Our read: The Foam at the Mouth (2017) reads as a heavy, kinetic, grounded thriller · latvian entry — extreme in intensity, mid-stakes in scope, cold in temperature, nihilistic in outlook.