The lively João Grilo and the sly Chicó are poor guys living in the hinterland who cheat a bunch of people in a small Northeast Brazil town. But when they die, they have to be judged by Christ, the Devil and the Virgin Mary, before they are admitted to paradise.

Adapting author Ariano Suassuna’s renowned play to the big screen, A Dog’s Will is one of Brazil’s best comedies of recent times. A wild experiment in both storyline and rapid-fire cutting, the film develops its poor-against-the-rich tone through a subtle, exuberantly rich mise en scène.