In the package by Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy, audiences will get to see three films that were awarded in September at the festival’s National Competition. Each of these films explores closeness in its own way. The films take viewers on a journey through a variety of human encounters with warmth and humor (and a touch of speed and danger!).

LOVETANSSIT (The Dance Roadtrip)
Finland | 2025 | Documentary | 18 min | Director: Sara Maaria Peltonen

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.

SUKKAHOUSUT (Pantyhose)
Finland | 2024 | Fiction | 15 min | Director: Fabian Munsterhjelm

A couple are about to attend an important gala. They have their keys, phones and invitations, but there is a hole in their tights.

TRY ME <3
Finland | 2025 | Fiction | 30 min | Director: Susani Mahadura

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.

Tickets: FREE, doors open 20 minutes before screening
Language: Finnish
Subtitles: English
63 min, for all ages