National Competition: Oh Humanity

Underdog sniffs and explores the world of dogs and people. In the black-and-white experimental documentary, the filmmaker’s childhood experiences of clashes between two social classes and language groups, parents living in different countries and living a life of scarcity, have inspired her to examine the lives of pedigree dogs.

Speeding, of Course combines documentary interview material, wild sound design and playful cutout animation into a story about the charm of speed. 70-year-old Timo makes the most of his short ride to work. Speeding up on a bicycle ends up in a ditch, but the adrenaline rush leaves a feeling of pleasure.

In Miss Paradise Beach, the film’s main characters, who we get to know by their competition numbers Four and Five, work as tram station announcers. They decide to participate in the prestigious Miss Paradise Beach beauty pageant, where Four and Five think they are each other’s worst competition, until they find out that they are not the front-runners of the competition.

In Invasive Species, the titular species are a threat to biodiversity, including all other invasive species. Note: The film includes a musical performance by an extremely harmful invasive species.

In My Name Is Hope a university student in a Syrian intelligence service prison witnesses, through the narrow food hatch of his cell, events that mirror the horrific reality of his nation. Hope is born, as prisoners keep alive the fading light of resistance in a world that has chosen to forget them.