Los Reyes (2018)

“Los Reyes” (2018, Chile, documentary, 87m, not rated)

Los Reyes (“The Kings”) is the oldest skatepark in the Chilean capital of Santiago. This story is about the real kings there: Football and Chola, two stray dogs who have made their home in this open space full of hurtling skateboards and rowdy teenagers. 

The energetic Chola loves to play with the balls she finds lying around. The older dog, Football, looks on impatiently and barks at Chola until she finally drops the balls. 

The teenagers around them come from very different, sometimes troubled backgrounds. They each have their own story, which they recount in voiceover. 

The camerawork centers almost entirely on the subtle interaction between the two dogs as they play with a ball, a stick, a stone and each other.