Helena Spring Films

Based on Alexandra Fuller’s 2001 memoir.

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight thrusts us into the tumultuous world of 8-year-old Bobo, whose childhood unfolds on her family’s Rhodesian farm, now Zimbabwe, as the Bush War rages to its bitter end. Set against this violent backdrop, and seen through her eyes, we witness the family’s desperate attachment to Africa’s soil and the deep, festering scars of a war that reshapes both land and soul.

Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight had its world premiere at the Telluride Film Festival on 30 August 2024. It was also screened as a Gala Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2024.

On 26 September, Sony Pictures Classics acquired worldwide distribution rights to the film.

Awards

Nominee 2024 Zurich Film Festival:

Best International Feature Film

Nominee 2025 International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience SCHLiNGEL:

Best International Feature Film in the Category “Youth Film”

Nominee 2025 Seattle International Film Festival:

Golden Space Needle Award / Best Performance: Lexi Venter

Nominee 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival:

2025 Winner New Voices/New Visions Special Jury Mention – Lexi Venter
“We’d also like to give a Special Mention to Lexi Venter for her stunning portrayal of Bobo in ‘Don’t Let’s Go the Dogs Tonight.’ Her presence and emotional intelligence offer a child’s eye view of the experience Zimbabwe faced as it entered its period of decolonization.”

2025 Nominee New Voices/New Visions Grand Jury Prize – Embeth Davidtz

Don’t Let’s Go To The Dogs Tonight (2024)

Depicts 8-year-old Bobo's life on her family's Rhodesian farm during the Bush War's final stages. It explores the family's bond with Africa's land and the war's impact on the region and individuals through Bobo's perspective.