23/12/2025 - Péter Vácz’s Hungarian animated short tackles the hardships and rewards of childhood and dog-ownership

In Hungarian, Kutyafül, translated literally in English as "dog ear”, refers to a saying that means “it’s not a big deal”. That is a rough description of the events unfolding in Dog Ear, Péter Vácz’s animated short that premiered at Annecy and now competed in Animateka at Ljubljana.

Pre-teen Berci returns home from school and – during an afternoon alone with his sneaky dog Tasli – has to deal with his homework, cello practice, chores set by his mother and the lack of discipline of his pet. However, a shadow is cast over events by a previous quarrel between his parents. Berci must learn to channel his emotions and to bond with his affectionate (if insubordinate) hound.

Vácz, best known for 3D stop-motion animation, here opts for a 2D drawn style and teams up with producer Gábor Osváth (Sophy Romvari's Blue Heron, Flóra Anna Buda's Palme d'Or winning short 27). The animation of Dog Ear is accessible and effective – Berci and Tasli are a lively and empathetic duo.

The technique, however, does not experiment much with the medium, except for the occasional metafictional touch – for example, when Berci decides the best way to do his math homework is to draw an animated sequence on the corners of his school-book pages. As Vácz himself grew up learning a musical instrument, such elements might suggest some autobiographical aspect, but there is no direct statement in that regard by the director.

Dog Ear’s strong point lies instead in how, within boundaries of length, time and space, it captures very vividly the insecurities of pre-teenage years – in their aggression and tenderness, in their severity and levity.

In the film's 21-minute runtime, almost entirely taking place in an apartment during a single afternoon, Vácz fully conveys a rich range of emotions. Particularly notable is the sweet character arc that sees Berci violently clashing with Tasli, then the pair finally reconciling: a moving finale to which all dog owners will probably relate.