This week we’re thrilled to present a rare short film from the illustrious filmmaker Raúl Ruiz, who left his native in Chile and settled in France following the US-supported coup in 1973. Inspired by the racy melodramas that dominated the popular photo-romans (photo-novels) of the era, Ruiz’s Dog’s Dialogue earned him a César Award for Best Short Film.

Assembled as a series of still images, in the style of Chris Marker’s La Jetée, Ruiz’s playful short revolves around Monique, a young woman whose ill-starred life sets off a chain reaction of sexual and violent acts in rural France. Designed as a circular narrative, Ruiz delights in sprinkling numerous repetitions into his film, unspooling a tale that seems equal parts coincidental and calculated.

“Any film, however ordinary, is infinitely complex.” RAÚL RUIZ

In many ways, Dog’s Dialogue acts as a perfect primer for the uninitiated in Ruiz’s cinema. With its amped-up melodrama, constant doubling of plot and characters, and dreamy feel, Dog’s Dialogue distills much of what makes Ruiz’s films so enchanting: their literary scope and game-like design. As it transforms from one film to another, it makes its brief 22-minutes feel endlessly entertaining — not so much a trip down the rabbit hole, as a tantalizing glimpse.

Raúl Ruiz was born in Puerto Montt, Chile, in 1941. He was the son of a schoolteacher and a ship’s captain. After a brief stint studying theology and law, he went to study film in Argentina. Upon return, he directed Three Sad Tigers, winner of the Golden Leopard at Locarno in 1969. In 1973, he left Chile for France with his wife, fellow director Valeria Sarmiento, following the military takeover of nation. Throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, his reputation grew as one of cinema’s great magicians. In 1997, he became the first filmmaker to receive Chile’s National Prize for Performing and Audiovisual Arts. He made over 100 films in his lifetime, three of which have been released posthumously.

Text written by Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer. Special thanks to Valeria Sarmiento, Jed Rapfogel, and Matthieu Grimault.