Movies
‘Dog of God’ – Rotoscoped Medieval Horror Movie Acquired for 2026 Release
Cartuna has acquired North American distribution rights to Dog of God, an animated horror-fantasy and Latvia’s 2026 Oscar submission.
Dog of God will release in theaters in 2026.
The hallucinogenic film is set in “a 17th-century Livonian village, where religious fervor, accusation, and otherworldly phenomena converge. The film follows villagers as a missing relic, whispered witchcraft, and a self-proclaimed werewolf called the ‘Dog of God’ upend their fragile order. Rendered in meticulously crafted rotoscope animation, the film blends the grotesque, the poetic, and the absurd with folkloric dread.”
It’s described as a “rotoscoped medieval fever dream“ that “blurs the line between faith and hysteria.”
Dog of God was written and directed by Lauris Ābele and Raitis Ābele, co-written by Ivo Briedis and Harijs Grundmanis.
The film has been selected as Latvia’s official submission for the 2026 Academy Awards in the Best International Feature Film category, and has been shortlisted by the European Film Awards for Best Animated Feature.
“Dog of God is one of those films that defies categorization—it’s part parable, part fever dream,“ said James Belfer, Founder and CEO of Cartuna. “It’s bold, unsettling, and darkly funny in all the best ways. Lauris and Raitis have such a singular vision, and we’re thrilled to champion it to audiences who crave something truly new in animation.”
Director Raitis Ābele was equally excited by the partnership, proclaiming, “The distributors I talked to were impressed and afraid. Cartuna was no exception.”
The animated feature made its premiere earlier this year at the Tribeca Festival and screened at more than 30 festivals worldwide, including the Fantasia International Film Festival and London’s FrightFest.
Producers include Kristele Pudane, Raitis Ābele, and Giovanni Labadessa.
Movies
‘This Is How the World Ends’ – New Movie Claims to Be First Straight-to-VHS Release In 20 Years
A whole bunch of new horror movies have made the leap to VHS in recent years, thanks to fan-run companies including Witter Entertainment and Lunchmeat. Everything from Terrifier 2 & Terrifier 3 to Alien Romulus and Mandy has found itself on VHS as the once-dead format shows new signs of life, but what about a brand new movie that’s ONLY released on VHS?
Low budget sci-fi movie This Is How the World Ends is claiming to be the first straight-to-VHS release in twenty years, according to a new report from Variety this week.
From South African director Robert dos Santos, This Is How the World Ends centers on a brother who sets out to find his sister at a hedonistic party deep in the desert.
Here’s the synopsis: “When the war between humans and the AI Machine States breaks out, misinformation and confusion reigns supreme. While the government pumps out reports that everything is going to be okay, the underground news reports that this might very well be the end.
“In the midst of this uncertainty, something unique is happening. The party to end all parties, dubbed the last party on earth, is taking place deep in the desert.
“While some are living with blinkers on, Danni Freeman (Frances Shalto-Douglas) knows that this is the end, and she makes the choice to journey deep into the desert to experience what life has to offer for one last time. Believing that this war will blow over, Tom Freeman (Josh Kempen) is sent to track down his sister and bring her back.
“But with a world that is falling apart at the seams, he must overcome a dangerous journey to the end of the world, as well as his own mortality.”
According to Variety’s report, This Is How the World Ends will be released on VHS for National VCR Day on June 7, and the outlet notes that “pre-orders from around the world have already surpassed 1,000 copies.” The company VHS Haven is distributing the release in the U.S.
“What does VHS in 2026 look like and how can this be a new reimagining of what ‘straight-to-VHS’ means,” dos Santos explains. “It used to be proper slander, if someone said ‘straight-to-VHS,’ it meant terrible. But the whole point of this is to reclaim that and say, look, straight-to-VHS is actually saying that this is a well-made film, made with intention for an audience.”
You can pre-order This Is How the World Ends on VHS right now!
Watch the official trailer below.
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