One of the BFI’s most treasured films, Powell and Pressburger’s A Canterbury Tale , seems at first glance to be about war and pilgrimage. However, a deep analysis reveals a radical romantic storyline facilitated by a dog.

to the audience; "good" characters show kindness, while antagonists are rejected by the animals. The "Canine Characters Test"

: In films like Bringing Up Baby and The Awful Truth , dogs act as "cupids," forcing interaction between characters. A modern example is Must Love Dogs , where the protagonists use borrowed dogs as "props" to meet each other at a park.

In the last decade, the BFI’s funding arm has actively supported new films that explore this theme. Two recent releases are essential viewing.

Some BFI-endorsed shorts explore the dog's perspective on human romance, providing a "paws-eye view" of the strange rituals of dating and heartbreak. Why This Relationship Resonates