Cartuna has acquired North American distribution rights to Dog of God, an animated horror-fantasy and Latvia’s 2026 Oscar submission.
Dog of God will release in theaters in 2026.
The hallucinogenic film is set in “a 17th-century Livonian village, where religious fervor, accusation, and otherworldly phenomena converge. The film follows villagers as a missing relic, whispered witchcraft, and a self-proclaimed werewolf called the ‘Dog of God’ upend their fragile order. Rendered in meticulously crafted rotoscope animation, the film blends the grotesque, the poetic, and the absurd with folkloric dread.”
It’s described as a “rotoscoped medieval fever dream“ that “blurs the line between faith and hysteria.”
Dog of God was written and directed by Lauris Ābele and Raitis Ābele, co-written by Ivo Briedis and Harijs Grundmanis.
The film has been selected as Latvia’s official submission for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category, and has been shortlisted by the European Film Awards for Best Animated Feature.
“Dog of God is one of those films that defies categorization—it’s part parable, part fever dream,“ said James Belfer, Founder and CEO of Cartuna. “It’s bold, unsettling, and darkly funny in all the best ways. Lauris and Raitis have such a singular vision, and we’re thrilled to champion it to audiences who crave something truly new in animation.”
Director Raitis Ābele was equally excited by the partnership, proclaiming, “The distributors I talked to were impressed and afraid. Cartuna was no exception.”
The animated feature made its premiere earlier this year at the Tribeca Festival and screened at more than 30 festivals worldwide, including the Fantasia International Film Festival and London’s FrightFest.
Producers include Kristele Pudane, Raitis Ābele, and Giovanni Labadessa.
