ELO students’ short films win awards at the R&A Film Festival

Films by students from the Department of Film were honored at the Helsinki International Film Festival – Love & Anarchy. In 2026, the 39th edition of the festival was held in Helsinki from 17–27 September, 2026.

A record 211 entries were submitted to the R&A Shorts: Domestic Competition category, of which 35 films were selected.

The Grand Prize in the domestic competition went to Yasmin Najjar’s 28 Days Left (TJ28). The short film, which competed in the prestigious La Cinef student series at the Cannes Film Festival in the spring, is based on Najjar’s own experiences with voluntary military service. The film juxtaposes the everyday life of the Finnish military and the recruits’ carefree attitude with the most serious aspect of war: the plight of Palestine.

According to the jury, Najjar’s film “explores complex issues intertwined with belonging and loss. It heralds the emergence of a talented new voice in the Finnish film scene –and a significant voice from the second generation of immigrants.”

The grand prize is worth 2,000 euros and is sponsored by Teme ry, the Union of Theater and Media Workers. The jury, composed of industry professionals, included producer Emilia Haukka, cinematographer Christopher Wessels, and Eliška Děcká, an expert in cultural exports of short films at the Czech Film Fund.

This year also marked the first time the Road to Clermont Award – sponsored by the Institut français de Finland and the Finnish Film Foundation – was presented; it was won by Viljami Penttilä for his film Major Bag Alert. Set in 2005, the film follows a group of friends who, driven by rumors of the protagonist’s family’s financial troubles, steal a designer bag for him.

“The film possesses both universal appeal and a distinctive voice – qualities that are essential in a competitive international arena”, the jury noted. Penttilä will attend the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival and participate in the Road to Clermont mentoring program, where he can further hone his skills.

The award for Best Student Film went to Viena Kytöjoki’s documentary Killing Me Softly (Munkki). It, too, was set in a military context, specifically around the doughnut trays at a military barracks. Life at the barracks goes on as if the world were not on the brink of a third world war. The coffee maker clicks, the dishwasher roars, and the female barracks staff prepare, in their usual manner, for the arrival of new conscripts. The filmfollows the female staff members of the military hostels – who are engaged in voluntary national defense work – and young conscripts in an environment where weapons are nowhere to be seen. At the same time, the film asks just how warlike human beings ultimately are.

Congratulations to all the winners!