R&A Shorts: In the Spotlight

Many people feel the need to express themselves in some way, some dream of becoming big stars. These films tell the stories of ordinary people’s journeys to the limelight. Finding oneself in the spotlight can be an awkward accident, but it can also be the fulfillment of dreams after overcoming one’s fears.

Bread and Games is a charming portrait of Ferdinand, for whom the Paris Summer Olympics open up the chance to dream big. He ends up working as a cleaner at one of the many competition venues, but the hustle and bustle and the chaotic crowds prove too much for him. He finds refuge in a basement hideaway, where he can write songs with his friends.

The darker-toned drama Dog and Wolf tells the story of Rudi, a man in his twenties who tours with a group of strippers. Amidst hazy memories clouded by drugs and sleep deprivation, his ex-girlfriend and his old life linger in the background.

Helen, a seasoned long-term volunteer, begins another stint as a volunteer exhibition supervisor at a contemporary art event, but this time something extraordinary happens. Suddenly, it is Helen who is holding weapons in her hands – literally. The playfully humorous A Shot at Art comments on performativity and power dynamics with unnervingly sharp wit.

In Lady Attila, Agathe spends her days working as a farm machinery mechanic in the family business. Her true passion, however, is not tractors, but playing air guitar. When a competition is organised nearby, it is finally time for her to step onto the stage, despite setbacks. Director and screenwriter Apolline Andreys plays the title role, which one might say is more than tailor-made for her: she IS Lady Attila. This is her air-guitarist alter ego, with whom she has even competed in the Air Guitar World Championships held annually in Finland.

Annu Suvanto