Jacob, Mimmi, and the Talking Dogs

Jacob lives in a modern district of the Latvian capital Riga and dreams of becoming a renowned architect, like his father. When his father needs to go away on business for longer than usual, Jacob has to spend a week with his chaotic ex-pirate uncle Eagle and his know-it-all cousin Mimmi in the historic, rather run-down suburb of Maskachka. Shortly after Jacob’s arrival, Mimmi learns that her beloved neighbourhood park must give way to a skyscraper. As the first trees are being cut down, Mimmi makes a decision: she refuses to stand back and watch how the last patch of nature in her neighbourhood is replaced by a modern-day world of concrete! She also succeeds in persuading Jacob to join her in the fight against this building frenzy. Meanwhile, Jacob has befriended a pack of stray dogs that roam the streets of Maskachka – and can talk. And now they are supposed to help Mimmi and Jacob carry out their secret plan. Will the unconventional team succeed in stopping the building project before it’s too late?
Based on the award-winning book “Dog Town” by Luīze Pastore, the film translates the struggle of the two young protagonists to protect their living space into an atmospheric cut-out animation. Latvian director Edmunds Jansons is a regularly presence at Fantoche with his independent short films – most recently, he was a guest at Fantoche in 2018 with “The Isle of Seals” (2014), “Choir Tour” (2012) and a “coming soon” presentation of “Jacob, Mimmi, and the Talking Dogs”. The film was screened this year in competition at the BUFF International Film Festival in Malmö.