Press Releases

NEW YORK (March 20, 2025) – Sony Pictures Classics announced today that they will release Embeth Davidtz’s directorial debut, DON’T LET’S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT, on July 11, 2025 in Los Angeles and New York, before expanding in the following weeks. DON'T LET'S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT made its world debut at the 2024 Telluride Film Festival followed by additional premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival and Zurich Film Festival, receiving rave reviews from critics, who praised Davidtz for her extraordinary writing and directing and highlighted 8-year-old Lexi Venter for her stunning performance. 

Based on Alexandra Fuller’s memoir of the same name, the film stars Davidtz (SCHINDLER’S LIST, MATILDA) alongside a cast of up and comers including Lexi Venter, Zikhona Bali, Fumani N Shilubana, Rob Van Vuuren and Anina Hope Reed. The film was produced by Helena Spring, Paul Buys and Davidtz and executive produced by Anele Mdoda. 

DON'T LET'S GO TO THE DOGS TONIGHT captures the childhood of 8-year-old Bobo on her family farm in Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia) at the end of the Zimbabwean War for independence in 1980.  Growing up in the midst of this long running war, Bobo internalizes both sides of the struggle. Conflicted by her love for people on opposing sides, she tries to make sense of her life in a magical way. Through her eight-year-old gaze we witness Rhodesia’s final days, the family’s unbreakable bond with Africa, and the deep scars that war leaves on survivors. 

ABOUT SONY PICTURES CLASSICS 
Michael Barker and Tom Bernard serve as co-presidents of Sony Pictures Classics—an autonomous division of Sony Pictures Entertainment they founded with Marcie Bloom in January 1992—which distributes, produces, and acquires independent films from around the world.  Barker and Bernard have released prestigious films that have won 42 Academy Awards® (38 of those at Sony Pictures Classics) and have garnered 190 Academy Award® nominations (164 at Sony Pictures Classics) including Best Picture nominations for I’M STILL HERE, THE FATHER, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME, WHIPLASH, AMOUR, MIDNIGHT IN PARIS, AN EDUCATION, CAPOTE, HOWARDS END, AND CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON.  

ABOUT SONY PICTURES ENTERTAINMENT
Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition, and distribution; television production, acquisition, and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services. http://www.sonypictures.com/corp/divisions.html.