The Dog Thief

In breathless mountain city, an orphaned shoeshine boy finds an unlikely father figure in this Bolivian gem.

In La Paz, Bolivia, the world’s highest capital city, lives Martín (Franklin Aro Huasco). He’s one of many shoeshine boys from the indigenous community who cover their faces to avoid discrimination. The mild-mannered, orphaned 13-year-old attends school sporadically and has found a room in the home of a wealthy woman, where his mother’s friend works. One day at the square, he shines the shoes of Señor Novoa (Alfredo Castro), an elderly tailor whose only friend is a beautiful German shepherd. Martín decides to steal the dog, hoping for a reward. With subtle tensions simmering beneath the surface, Vinko Tomicic paints a soulful portrait that deeply explores something much greater.

• Niclas Goldberg