Ahead of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Lang, who was recently released from prison after serving time for murder, returns to his hometown – a place that feels both unfamiliar and dangerous. Designated for redevelopment, the town is now nearly deserted, with abandoned stray dogs roaming freely and even attacking people. After a fateful encounter with a black dog that has a bounty on its head, Lang joins a patrol team, thanks to a friend, to chase away the strays. At the same time, he is pursued by a local businessman, Hu, who owns a snake farm and has been seeking vengeance and answers from Lang regarding the death of his nephew 10 years ago. Winner of the Un Certain Regard Prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, this film is remarkable enough and noteworthy for its breathtaking scenes of the Gobi Desert and the silhouettes of wild dogs at dusk. (CHOI Eun)