After Justine Triet’s Anatomy of a Fall powered its way to five Oscar nominations, it was a common feeling that the film’s MVP was short-changed on the big night. Though the film went home with Best Original Screenplay, Messi — the seven-year-old border collie who plays Snoop, the family dog who becomes an integral part of the courtroom drama — was not so lucky, returning empty-pawed to his native Paris. Not that he was an ungracious loser; a clip of the hound applauding Robert Downey Jr.’s win for Oppenheimer went viral, not least because it brought a huge spontaneous smile to the face of Barbie’s Ryan Gosling.
Being modest, Messi downplayed the fact that earlier in the day he had stolen the show at the Fido Awards in London, an awards ceremony that recognizes the work put in by canine thespians from around the world. From the same team that stage the Palm Dog in Cannes (which Messi also won in May), the Fidos rewarded him with the double whammy of Mutt Moment and Best in World (which, in a filmed statement, his owner said Messi was “thrilled” and “proud” to receive).
Toby Rose (left) hosts the Fido Awards.
In a chaotic dog-friendly event at the BFI’s corporate HQ in London — which, as ever, comes within a hair’s breadth of putting the bark into debacle — Master of Ceremonies Toby Rose introduced special guest Monica Dolan to do the honors. Fresh from her acclaimed role in ITV’s Mr. Bates vs The Post Office, the actress brought along her two-year-old dog Velma — sporting an eye-catching, spangly Wonder Woman outfit — to present Messi’s big award.
In other awards, Blockbuster Bowser went to Gary, the Australian labradoodle who played Max in The Little Mermaid, beating Cosmo the space dog from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Wonka’s Tiddles. Historical Hound was an ensemble award that went to Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, despite stiff competition from Priscilla’s poodle and the black Weimeraner from The Zone of Interest. On a lighter note, Romcom Rover went to Sugar, the white terrier from Barbie, and Comedy Canine to the poodle from Poor Things. The now-traditional FiDogManitarian award broke with the day’s film theme and went to designer Bruce Oldfield for his work on Queen Camilla’s coronation dress, which featured golden images of her rescue bowsers Bluebell and Beth, both Jack Russell terriers.
The event came to a close with free samples of Hus Pet’s celebratory cake for dogs, which was either eagerly wolfed down or ignored with disdain by what everyone agreed was the toughest crowd outside of the Dolby Theatre.