The Dog Who Stopped the War

As the Christmas holidays begin, a group of 10 war-obsessed kids have a wave of inspiration: What if they spend the next two weeks engaged in a simulated war, armed only with shields, wooden swords, snowballs, and a fierce sense of competition? With a bounty chest waiting for the winners, the two sides gradually grow in size, and the war grows in importance, taking over all aspects of their lives. But the sense of fun and excitement soon turns to something far darker, culminating in a tragic event that ensures this war will never be forgotten.

One of Canada’s most beloved and unusual family films, Andre Melançon’s The Dog Who Stopped the War launched Tales for All, the career-spanning series that made producer Rock Demers (The Peanut Butter Solution) a legend. Featuring battle sequences both playful and harrowing, this film brings the imaginative world of children vividly to life with a genre movie sense of urgency, thanks in part to the memorable synth score by Germain Gauthier (Pinball Summer). Recalling the kid-centric world of Charlie Brown while anticipating the mischief and melancholy of Home Alone, The Dog Who Stopped the War is festive family filmmaking at its best.