In the first of his USA – land of opportunities trilogy, von Trier returns to the United States of his vision, sketching out a small mountain town for his latest experiment in stripped-down cinema. With a nod to Brecht and the televised theatre of his youth, the director deletes the usual sets, with houses, streets, shops and other locations sketched in white on the black floor of a soundstage. Enter Grace (Kidman) who arrives to the sound of gunfire and is hidden by aspiring author Tom Edison Jr. (Bettany). Hoping to convince the townsfolk to accept and harbour the fugitive, Tom comes up with a plan. But plans often fail and soon Dogville is baring its teeth with a particularly nasty growl. Startling and scathing, there’s no denying that DOGVILLE will divide audiences, but it also features excellent performances from an amazing cast and is beautifully lit and shot. www.dogville.co.uk