National Competition: Side by Side

In Try Me <3, three friends meet up to take empowering portraits as each of them has recently endured a difficult period in their life. The intimate ranting session takes an unexpected turn when one of them has their phone stolen, and during the eventful chase they discover something about themselves and each other.

In Dollhouse Elephant, a group of neighbours, each focused on their own goals, must learn to communicate and consider one another. But when small, everyday actions trigger unexpected consequences, they are forced into interactions that challenge their independence.

In The Dance Roadtrip, three dance enthusiasts carpool to spend an evening at a dance pavilion. For Birgitta, Jouni, and Päivi, all in their sixties, it’s normal to feel nervous at first; encouragement from friends is all it takes to brave the dance floor. Everyone craves a sense of belonging, yet in order to feel a connection, one has to risk getting rejected. The boldest act of the evening isn’t asking someone to dance – it’s daring to admit you need each other.

In Farewell to Snow – Snowplay, the snow cover is getting thinner, withdrawing further up to north, and staying shorter periods than it used to. In northern Finland, the microclimate of a forest evokes childhood memories. Pleasurable snow play lures a poet into self-creation with nature. The romantic film asks if pleasure and play would change the human-nature connection towards reciprocity and solidarity.

Priest and the Ugly Christmas Tree is a small Christmas tale about a recently appointed pastor, who notices how the suburban residents are struggling in the slushy, Finnish Christmas landscape. He decides to cheer them up, get the largest Christmas tree in the area and recruit the community to help decorate it. Based on true events from a few years ago.