R&A Shorts: Hive Minds

A group can form around a countless number of things. In some cases, we belong to groups against our will, in some cases we strive to belong to a group, and in some we form one based on our own needs.

Have you by any chance ever wondered what the story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs would look like if it were portrayed by dogs? Well, you get to see this in Sit. Play. Stay., a documentary that presents the spectator with inter-species cuteness. We get to glimpse into the practice session of a theatre group composed of dogs and their owners and see how orders are given and obeyed, and how rewards follow. But whose needs is this hobby really fulfilling?

Boxing Against the Binary brings us to the Queer Gym in Rotterdam, where people belonging to sexual and gender minorities can train in peace. Having their own gym and a group to belong to facilitates a liberation from heteronormative fitness ideals and the creation of a truly safe space.

It is often said that the best place to be in parties is in the kitchen, but in the short Sorry I’m late (but I brought a choir) the best vibe is in the stairwell. This hilarious depiction of a choir that crashes house parties will have the spectators ready to boogie.

Reeking of gasoline, the documentary We Beg to Differ takes us full throttle into the diffing scene of Northern Ireland. This fascinating but illegal hobby brings together young adults who, outside of their motorsport activities, are in the middle of a mental health crisis.

VHS aesthetics and gallows humour are provided by Death of a Hero, which throws us into the middle of a strange tradition that takes place in a Swedish village. In this event, the whole village gathers to the churchyard to watch what will happen to a young man chosen among the villagers who, hoping to earn fame and fortune, is ready to jump into a potentially deadly ritual. This biting commentary on our twisted celebrity culture and double standards hits hard.

Annu Suvanto (translated by Herman Tikkanen)