Werewolf Trial Sparks Hellbound Chaos in ‘Dog of God’ UK Premiere

FrightFest London will host the UK premiere of Dog of God, an animated historical horror from Latvian filmmakers Lauris and Raitis Abele, inspired by the true story of one of Northern Europe’s most extraordinary witchcraft trials. Screening on Friday 22 August in the Discovery Screen Two strand, the film reimagines the 1692 case of Thiess of Kaltenbrun, an 82-year-old man who startled a Swedish Livonian court by proclaiming himself a werewolf – but not in the way folklore or Hollywood would have audiences believe.

In the film, a sacred relic is stolen from a small, rain-soaked Livonian village, prompting accusations of theft against tavern maid Neze. The trial is interrupted by the sudden arrival of Thiess, the self-declared “Dog of God”, who claims the relic has been taken to Hell itself. What follows spirals into a heady mix of shamanic rituals, witchcraft accusations and an aphrodisiac plant with chaotic consequences, culminating in an orgiastic frenzy that engulfs the village.

Unlike the bloodthirsty beasts of popular culture, Livonian werewolves – according to historical testimony – saw themselves as guardians. They journeyed into Hell three times a year to battle witches and demons, bringing prosperity to peasants and protecting crops from famine. Thiess’s testimony, faithfully documented at the time, positioned him as a protector of the common people against both supernatural threats and the oppression of the ruling classes.

The Abele brothers combine this history with a trickster archetype, using Thiess as a disruptor who forces the villagers to confront hidden truths and suppressed desires. The film’s rotoscope animation blends live-action performances with painterly, hand-drawn detail, evoking the grim beauty of Baltic autumns and the works of Bosch, Moebius and Giger. Filmed sequences were painstakingly traced over, marrying historical accuracy with bursts of surreal imagery.

The brothers have described Dog of God as part of a wider effort to reclaim and share Baltic history, which was largely silenced during the Soviet era. Thematically, it explores sin, survival, resistance and the raw human needs that simmer beneath rigid societal structures. The result is an atmospheric fusion of history, folklore and unflinching eroticism that promises one of FrightFest’s most unusual and visually striking screenings this year… AND, I’m 99% sure, the only animated submissions, which makes this a must-see FrightFest feature.

For more information on this year’s fantastic FrightFest, and for tickets, visit frightfest.co.uk.

Dog of God trailer