My Life As A Dog (HBO Max)
Dir. Lasse Hallstrom, (1985); Sweden, 102m
Starring: Anton Glanzelius, Tomas Von Bromssen, Anki Liden
Programmed by: Andi Johnson

June 27th through July 3rd

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It’s strange to think that the very first animal that was sent into space was a dog named Laika. She involuntarily orbited the Earth for just under two hours before reaching her untimely end. Lasse Hallstrom’s My Life As A Dog provides a tender examination of a tragic episode in the life of a young boy, rather than a dog - but who like Laika, finds himself thrust into a premature confrontation with mortality. Instead of his own mortality, however, young Ingemar Johansson (Anton Glanzelius) helplessly watches as his mother succumbs to illness. My Life As A Dog keeps Ingemar’s traumatic history as a backdrop, but also shows the viewer the healing power of community, love, and humor. Ingemar often considers the unfortunate lives of others, like the space dog Laika, to help him cope with his own misfortunes. The film as a whole demonstrates the capacity that children have to feel complex emotions, and when privileged with strong community, heal from their tragic pasts. Help us set the tone for this summers viewing by celebrating the unexpected challenges life can present us with, and how (with help from one another) we can navigate them with humor and compassion.