Multiple awards will be handed out among the filmmakers selected for this year’s R&A Shorts: National Competition. The winner of the AGORA prize, which is being handed out for the first time, will win the opportunity to participate in the AGORA Short Film Lab workshop in Thessaloniki in November.
R&A Shorts: National Competition will once again shine a light on exceptional Finnish short film talent as part of September’s Love & Anarchy Film Festival ( 18–28 September). This year the competition, which has been held since 2018, received a record-breaking 188 film submissions. The 29 films that were selected will be presented in 6 screenings, categorised by themes. The Jury and the audience will select their favourite films, which will be rewarded during the awards ceremony at the festival centre in Bio Rex, on Thursday 25 September.
Many incredible awards will be handed out to winners, including a new addition, the AGORA award, sponsored by the Thessaloniki International Film Festival and the Finnish Film Foundation. The winner of the AGORA award will be granted the opportunity to participate in the AGORA Short Film Lab, held at the Thessaloniki Film Festival industry event in November. The AGORA will be awarded to a director who has yet to direct a full-length feature film.
This year’s judges will include writer and activist Maryan Abdulkarim, the contest’s first international judge and Agora representative Angeliki Vergou, as well as Leena Närekangas, executive director of Elävän kuvan keskus ELKE ry, the cultural association that runs Cinema Orion.
The best Finnish short film will receive the R&A Shorts main award, a cash prize (2000€) made possible by the Trade Union for Theatre and Media Finland, Teme. Sponsored by the Finnish Film Foundation, the New Wave award (1500€) will be awarded to a fresh talent whose short film paves the way for new voices in Finnish filmmaking. The award aims to support the career of a promising director and assist in the funding of their next project. The Moving People and Images award (1500€), given out since 2021, will be awarded to a director whose work pays particular attention to inclusivity and diversity. The award is sponsored by the Finnish Film Foundation. Filmmaker Erol Mintaş will act as an advisor to the panel of judges in picking the winner.
The winner of Best Student Film will be awarded accreditation to the 2026 Love & Anarchy Festival and to the industry event Finnish Film Affair, as well as music licensing from Audio Network. Student films are also in competition for other awards. In addition, all films in the National Competition will be competing for the Audience Award, which is a product prize worth 2000€, sponsored by Kinos Rentals.
The winner of the main prize in 2024 was Elina Talvensaari’s documentary How to Please, which later in 2025 won the Jussi award for Best Short Film.
All award-winning films will be screened at Love & Anarchy on Saturday, September 27 in the National Competition: Award Winners screening.
The films in competition will be shown in themed screenings at Love & Anarchy on September 19–23:
Within Memories
The screening showcases five stories about memories and remembering.
Memories Move Like Distant Islands (dir. Saarlotta Virri)
Memorabilia (dir. Roosa Vuokkola)
Akira (dir. Juho Kankaanpää)
Vieras (dir. Arman Zafari)
In My Hand (dir. Marja Helander, Liselotte Wajstedt)
Other Dimensions
Journey through the uncanny valley.
Astro TV (dir. Magdaleena Jakkila)
The Grapes of War (dir. Malakias)
IURIMA – A Tale of Three Fishermen (dir. PV Lehtinen)
Katastrofielokuvien loppukohtauksia (dir. Tellervo Kalleinen & Oliver Kochta-Kalleinen)
Tempest of My Eyes (dir. Elina Oikari)
Geography of Life
Cartographers of change – people in spaces and situations.
Confessions of Undecided Women (dir. Milja Härkönen)
Ocean Blvd (dir. Jade Kallio)
Juhlat (dir. Roope Lainevuo)
Break Room (dir. Laura Böök)
Side by Side
Relationships, people, nature.
Try Me <3 (dir. Susani Mahadura)
Dollhouse Elephant (dir. Jenny Jokela)
Lovetanssit (dir. Sara Maaria Peltonen)
Farewell to Snow – Snowplay (dir. Sanni Priha)
Pastori ja ruma joulukuusi (dir. Maarit Lalli)
Oh Humanity
A look at the entire spectrum of humanity.
Underdog (dir. Marjo Levlin)
Speeding, of course (dir. Anni Sairio, Joonatan Turkki)
Miss Paradise Beach (dir. Virva Kunttu, Vuokko Kunttu)
Invasive Species (dir. Risto-Pekka Blom)
My Name Is Hope (dir. Sherwan Haji)(
Chosen) Families
Families that love, hate, and hurt.
ÁHKUIN (dir. Radio-JusSunná / Sunna Nousuniemi & Guhtur Niillas Rita Duomis / Tuomas Kumpulainen)
A Night That Took Everything (dir. Nida Mehboob)
Drawn in Water (dir. Heta Jokinen)
Pantyhose (dir. Fabian Munsterhjelm)
The Lightning Rod (dir. Helmi Donner)
For more information visit: https://hiff.fi/en/