The Romanian thriller Dogs (Caini), directed by Bogdan Mirica (pictured), won the Best Foreign Film Debut award at the French Union of Film Critics (Syndicat Francais de la Critique Cinema) awards.

This is the most recent award that Dogs won since premiering at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, where it was granted the FIPRESCI award of the international film critics in the Un Certain Regard section.

The debut feature film of the 38 year old Romanian director Bogdan Mirica also won the Special Jury Mention at the 22nd Sarajevo Film Festival, and the Transylvania Trophy at the 2016 Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF). Also at the Sarajevo Film Festival, Gheorghe Visu won the Best Actor award for his role in the film.

The French Union of Film Critics gathers 245 members, writers and journalists. It runs the “La Semaine de la Critique” event at the Cannes Film Festival. The Prizes of the French Union of Film Critics reward the best of cinema, TV, and DVD productions of the year, as well as the best cinema-related literary works. The prizes are granted following a vote of all the members of the union. The Best Foreign Film Debut award was established in 2014.

Dogs follows Roman as he returns to the land he has just inherited from his grandfather. Decided to sell this vast but desolate property, located at the border with Ukraine, he is warned by the local cop that his grandfather was a local crime lord and his men will not let go of the land without a fight. It stars Dragos Bucur, Vlad Ivanov and Gheorghe Visu.

The full list of winners at this year’s French Union of Film Critics awards can be read here.

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editor@romania-insider.com