Stories of revenge have long been a cornerstone of both literature and cinema, with roots tracing back to their earliest incarnations. To craft a fresh and distinctive take on this well-worn theme, a filmmaker must bring something truly original to the table. Welsh director Sion Thomas rises to that challenge with his bold, visually inventive, BAFTA CYMRU–winning film Mauled by a Dog, which follows an emasculated young man on a surreal quest for vengeance – against the dog that attacked his girlfriend.Mauled by a Dog wastes no time making its mark – within the first 30 seconds, we witness the titular canine attack, followed immediately by a striking, eye-catching title screen. In the very next scene, as the film’s young protagonist finds himself surrounded by hypermasculine workers, both the story’s central conflict and Thomas’ high-octane filmmaking style are firmly established.This early momentum doesn’t relent across the film’s 18-minute runtime. Though shot on what Thomas describes as a “shoestring budget,” the film feels anything but limited. Visually striking and relentlessly paced, it plunges the viewer into a chaotic, darkly comic vision of a very Welsh hell. From its casting choices to its vividly realised locations, Thomas ensures every element of the film reflects the raw, distinct character of South Wales.“Scenes were built up through long, improvisation-heavy rehearsal periods – with dialogue and actions written around the performers” – Thomas on their approach to production“In a twisted, deranged, tragic, absurd and entertaining way, Mauled by a Dog captures the crisis of masculinity which is occurring in post-industrial South Wales”, Thomas explains. He adds that with the mines replaced by “dole and call centres,” the once-proud residents of the area have now endured “decades of meaningless underpaid work or unemployment,” where they used to find “meaning through well-paying industrial jobs”. With insecurity and instability rampant, a “supercharged version of masculinity” has taken hold – a crisis that partly motivated Thomas to create Mauled by a Dog.Thomas’ short serves as a vital reminder of why stories like this matter. On the surface, it may appear overtly violent and confrontational, but a closer look reveals a thoughtful critique of the distorted ideas of masculinity many of us were raised with. I belong to a generation of men who were rarely encouraged to express emotions, growing up in a culture that equated “being a man” with strength, resilience, and protection. Thankfully, those rigid stereotypes are slowly beginning to shift. While I hope that much of the reality that inspired Mauled by a Dog is behind us, reflecting on where we’ve come from is essential for shaping the path ahead.Created through his Welsh film collective, SCYMRU, Mauled by a Dog is Thomas’ latest short in a growing filmography. He has since shifted his focus toward his debut feature, Pig Eyes – a weirdo coming of age film set in the South Wales Valleys, set to shoot in 2026. He is also working with BBC films to develop Mauled by a Dog into a feature.