A new short film, Blondi, offers a unique perspective on the final days of the Third Reich by strapping a camera to a German shepherd named Lexie, who plays Hitler's dog and serves as co-director of photography, or 'cinemadographer'. The film premiered earlier this month at a cinema in Brixton, London.
Produced by Pablo Álvarez-Hornia and co-directed by Jack Salvadori, the film captures the chaotic and uncomfortable atmosphere of Hitler's bunker through Lexie's movements. 'Some things need to be made uncomfortable,' Álvarez-Hornia said, 'and, in a way, it needed to be dirtier and grittier and uglier for it to work.' The camera, mounted on Lexie's back, is framed by her ears, resulting in shaky, unpredictable footage that Salvadori embraced as a 'completely different creative input.'
The script was written by Peter Greenaway, based on his own short story about Blondi. Cinematographer Robert Richardson advised against using professionally trained dogs, recommending a 'real dog that behaves like a real dog.' The human actors were told they might not appear in the final cut, as their inclusion depended on where Lexie looked. 'They didn't have to think about the camera at all,' Salvadori said, 'so it became almost like theatre.'
The film was shot without permission in locations such as a hotel room and London's Senate House, with the crew evading security. The premiere was accompanied by a behind-the-scenes documentary detailing the chaotic production. Despite the humorous making-of, the film itself is serious, depicting the final moments of the Nazi regime through the eyes of an innocent animal.
