Dogs are a huge theme at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Messi, the dog from Anatomy of a Fall, has been a big star on the red carpet, eclipsing Meryl Streep and “interviewing” her. But he was not the only canine in the spotlight. The excellent French-Swiss film Dog on Trial is based on a real-life case about a lawyer who defends a dog in court. Meanwhile, Black Dog from China focuses on the life of strays in Beijing. Tom Brook from Talking Movies interviews Toby Rose, the British creator of the Palm Dog, who will be handing out the top prize for best performance by a canine in a Cannes film later this week.