Rome, September 23 - The most anticipated genre film of the year GOOD BOY by Ben Leonberg will open the XXIII edition of the Alice in the City festival, scheduled from October 15 to 26, running parallel to and in agreement with the Rome Film Festival, at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, Auditorium Conciliazione, Cinema Adriano and other locations throughout the city.
GOOD BOY is a low-budget and independent debut film, born as an experiment from a short film by the same director and made over three years, which became a cinematic phenomenon after its acclaimed premiere at the SXSW Film & TV Festival 2025. An independent film that won over critics with a 95% score on Rotten Tomatoes and works with a simple concept, that of fear but shifting attention to an unprecedented point of view: that of a dog. The film - written by the director himself with Alex Cannon - is told entirely through the eyes of the dog Indy (Leonberg's actual dog). A choice made to create an atmosphere of suspense by leveraging animals' ability to perceive things that humans cannot sense.
Have we ever wondered why our dog stares at empty corners, barks for no reason, or refuses to enter the basement? "Good Boy" is the story of a dog that sees everything that lurks and frightens in the night.
The film's trailer has surpassed millions of views online, transforming a small independent horror into a potential international blockbuster, thanks to young and very young followers who have virally shared the images on social media.
The film, both tender and unsettling, centers on the story of an everyday alliance, the dog-owner relationship, and uses it as a magnifying glass to read our anxieties. No talking animals, just terrifying scares.
Frank Scheck of Hollywood Reporter particularly appreciated the emotional side of the film.
Director Ben Leonberg states: "Stephen King, one of my greatest horror inspirations, often says he gets his ideas from 'what if...' hypothetical scenarios: what if an alcoholic writer got trapped with his family in a haunted hotel? ('The Shining'). What if a bullied teenager discovered she had telekinetic powers? ('Carrie'). In 2012, while revisiting the opening of Poltergeist, a 'what if...' struck me so hard it made me shiver: what if the family dog was the only one who knew the house was haunted? Good Boy - he continues - is the result of that question. It's a grounded paranormal thriller told from a dog's perspective, a loyal and everyday companion thrust into extraordinary circumstances. At its core, Good Boy is a story about facing darkness so universal it transcends species and the terrifying question of what might happen when even our most loyal protector senses something we cannot?"
"Young people have a special relationship with horror because it tells their anxieties. That's why - declare Alice in the City co-directors Gianluca Giannelli and Fabia Bettini - we are convinced about opening the festival with 'Good Boy', a debut film that shares with this year's selection spirit an awareness that children know well: that darkness and fear don't live in remote lands, but are right down the street, behind the closet or under the bed. Ben Leonberg's film reminds us that the line between good and evil hasn't disappeared: it's just become thinner. More like life."
GOOD BOY will be released soon in Italian theaters distributed by Maestro Distribution.
