The long-awaited feature film Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight, adapted from Alexandra Fuller’s internationally acclaimed memoir, is set for its official South African premiere on 25 July 2025. Directed by renowned actress and filmmaker Embeth Davidtz, this cinematic gem offers a rare and poignant portrayal of Zimbabwe’s turbulent transition from colonial Rhodesia to independence — all seen through the eyes of an 8-year-old child.
Filmed entirely in South Africa, the story centres around Bobo, played by rising star Lexi Venter, as she navigates the complexities of life on a rural farm amidst the final days of the Rhodesian Bush War. As her family grapples with personal loss, political change, and fractured identity, the film captures the intimate, often painful contradictions of growing up in a divided land.
Davidtz, who also stars in the film, brings a unique depth to the project. Having grown up in apartheid-era South Africa, she channels her own experiences into a narrative that is at once deeply personal and universally resonant.
“This film is deeply personal for me. 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.”
she shared
The film boasts a stellar South African cast, including Zikhona Bali, Fumani N Shilubana, and Rob Van Vuuren, alongside a seasoned local crew that grounds the story firmly in Southern African soil while achieving global cinematic excellence.
Executive produced by Anele Mdoda, Frankie Du Toit, and Trevor Noah, and produced by Helena Spring and Paul Buys, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight represents a new era of African storytelling — one that embraces emotional honesty, historical complexity, and the power of perspective.
After its successful world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, the film now returns home, inviting South African audiences into a deeply moving exploration of land, memory, identity, and healing. It’s more than a film — it’s a reckoning with the past and a hopeful gaze toward the future.
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