Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight’: A powerful film about life in Zimbabwe premieres this July

The movie is set to drop at cinemas on Friday, July 11 and also on the streaming platform Prime Video on July 25.

Directed and adapted for screen by celebrated actress and filmmaker Embeth Davidtz, this moving film paints a deeply personal portrait of life in Zimbabwe during the final, turbulent years of the Rhodesian Bush War.

Shot entirely in South Africa, the story unfolds through the eyes of eight-year-old Bobo, played by Rising Talent Lexi Venter. Her journey, as told on screen, is one of innocence, confusion, and gradual awakening.

“This film is deeply personal for me,” says Davidtz, who also stars in the project. “It helped me process my own childhood in apartheid-era South Africa. Through Bobo’s eyes, I wanted to show that even in the middle of pain and inherited racism, love and transformation are actually possible.”

Featuring a stellar South African cast including Zikhona Bali, Fumani N Shilubana, and Rob Van Vuuren, the film captures the beauty and heartbreak of Southern Africa with striking authenticity.

Backed by a powerhouse production team—executive producers Anele Mdoda, Frankie Du Toit, and Trevor Noah, alongside veteran producers Helena Spring and Paul Buys—the film bridges global appeal with an unmistakably African soul.

After receiving critical acclaim at the Toronto International Film Festival, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight is now returning home.