Based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir of the same name, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight captures the childhood of seven-year-old Bobo on her family farm in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) at the end of the Zimbabwean War for Independence in 1980. Growing up in the midst of this long-running war, Bobo internalizes both sides of the struggle. Conflicted by her love for people on opposing sides, she tries to make sense of her life in a magical way. Through her youthful gaze we witness Rhodesia’s final days, the family’s unbreakable bond with Africa, and the deep scars that war leaves on survivors.

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight
ICON GUIDE
OCOpen Caption screening
Additional program content
35mm
SFSensory Friendly. Details HERE

Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight
Opens July 18
2025. 98 m. Embeth Davidtz. Sony Pictures Classics. South Africa. English/Shona with subtitles. Rated R.
Tickets: $11 (members), $16 (nonmembers)
"The entire movie rests on the tiny shoulders and remarkably lifelike performance of Lexi Venter... It is a bold risk to put so much weight on a child’s work, but like so many of Davidtz’s choices here, it also turns out to be shrewd."
"The pull of the film lies in how Davidtz allows Bobo to bob on the surface of things while we feel the dark undertow... Even if you despise the Fullers on principle, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is an enthralling watch. There’s outrage underneath every offhand remark and heartbreak in watching this fraying community turn on each other."
This film is part of the following initiatives:
Coming Soon
Eddington
Opens 7/18—Tickets on Sale Now
Sorry, Baby
Opens 7/18
Shall We Dance?
Opens 7/18
Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight
Opens 7/18
The Jacob Burns Film Center is proud to receive generous support from:
Out There: A New Monthly Series Showcasing Queer Cinema
A year-round celebration of LGBTQ+ stories from around the world
Brief Encounters
Now Showing through Aug. 2
Sounds of Summer
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