Bronze Dog
From the Archives
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Comedy, Short Films, 08-Aug-2025
A guy tries to get over a break up by making a documentary about it. “Bronze Dog,” directed by Michael Bernieri, pokes and plays with the idea of life imitating art, expanding in unpredictable directions. Steven is a dimwitted man, played by Eric Rahill, who buys into his self-conceived fiction despite being unable to get a grip on his own reality. Amidst a messy and prolonged break-up, Steven shows more excitement about re-enacting the events unfolding as a film than salvaging the relationship itself. From arguments between him and Jess, his girlfriend (Rivka Rivera), we jump on-set to Steven’s micro-budget film where he works with an actress playing her (Edy Modica) and takes direction from a filmmaker friend (Alex Bliss). Eight months after the breakup, he meets a stranger (Matt Barats) for a marketplace transaction—he’s selling a small gift he never gave to Jess. Upon small talk with the buyer, there’s one too many coincidences. The film features a symphonic score of warps and whirls, musically accenting the idiosyncratic behavior performed by Rahill and the rest of the supporting ensemble. -JM. Writer/Director: Michael Bernieri. Cast: Eric Rahill, Rivka Rivera, Alex Bliss, Edy Modica, and Matt Barats as Greg. DP: Rebecca Rajadnya. Editor/Composer: Kevin Carey. Producer: Elias ZX. Production Designer: Laine Elliot. Sound Design: Sam Beneitone. AD/Associate Producer: Alex Wolf. Titles: Colin Burgess. VFX: Michael Price. Gaffer: Tom Atwell.
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