La Perra is a 2026 drama film directed by Dominga Sotomayor and written by Inés Bortagaray and Sotomayor. It is based on the 2017 novel La perra by Colombian writer Pilar Quintana. The film stars Manuela Oyarzún, David Gaete, Selton Mello, Paula Luchsinger, Paula Dinamarca and Rafaella Grimberg.
Set on Santa María Island off the coast of Chile, the film follows Silvia, a woman whose life changes after she adopts an abandoned puppy named Yuri. The dog's disappearance forces her to confront a traumatic experience from her childhood.
The film had its world premiere in the Directors' Fortnight section of the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 18, where Yuri received the Palm Dog Award.
Premise On a remote, wind-swept island off the Chilean coast, Silvia earns a living harvesting seaweed and lives with her partner. She adopts a stray puppy, Yuri, whose presence awakens a long-suppressed desire for motherhood. When Yuri suddenly disappears, the event reawakens a childhood trauma that Silvia has never overcome.
Cast Manuela Oyarzún as Silvia David Gaete as Mario Selton Mello as Duda Paula Luchsinger as Alba Paula Dinamarca as Ximena Rafaella Grimberg as young Silvia Giannina Fruttero as Gilma Camila Oliva as Lucero
Production The film is a Chilean-Brazilian co-production between Planta and RT Features, produced by Rodrigo Teixeira, Fernando Bascuñán and Berta Marchiori. The screenplay was written by Inés Bortagaray, with Bortagaray and Sotomayor credited with the adaptation. Simone D’Arcangelo served as cinematographer, Federico Rotstein as editor, Natalia Geisse as production designer, and Clint Mansell composed the score.
In September 2025, Deadline Hollywood reported that Selton Mello had joined the cast and that Sotomayor was directing a screenplay by Bortagaray. The film was described as an adaptation of Quintana's novel and as a reunion between Sotomayor and Brazilian producer Rodrigo Teixeira, with whom she had previously worked.
Although Quintana's novel is set in Colombia, Sotomayor relocated the story to Chile. The film was shot in the Biobío Region, including locations on Santa María Island, Hualpén and Coliumo. Sotomayor said that she was drawn to Santa María Island because of its landscape and that the island had not previously been used as a filming location.
Release The film was selected for the Directors' Fortnight at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, where it had its world premiere on May 18, 2026. The film subsequently screened at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in the Horizons section and at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in the Horizontes Latinos section.
In Brazil, the film was the closing film of the 54th Gramado Film Festival on August 21, 2026, in a non-competitive screening. It was also selected for the 2026 FICValdivia in Chile.
Reception The film received mixed reviews from critics following its Cannes premiere. Variety critic Guy Lodge described it as an "elegant, unsentimental" film about trauma and healing, while Screen International characterized it as a visually rich character study centered on Silvia's relationship with Yuri. Other critics were more critical of the film's later narrative developments and its treatment of Silvia's trauma.
Accolades Yuri, the rescue dog who plays the title character, won the Palm Dog Award at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. The award recognizes canine performances in films shown at the festival. Reuters reported that the jury recognized Yuri's naturalistic performance and her importance to the film's story.
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