International Competition 10

People shouldn’t lie to children! Nor to themselves. Two women learn this the hard way. In such cases, finding escape in daydreams is far more rewarding. In Israel, a couple tries to conceive a child during wartime. Somali women share their strategy for how to stay strong.

Our Day – Director: Jori Pirkkalainen · Finland · 17 min · Finnish (OmeU)

After several failed relationships, Rebekka seems to have found happiness with a younger man, Osku. At her goddaughter’s graduation party, she runs into a former co-worker and her son, Osku — an awkward situation. Gradually, she learns things about her boyfriend that she would rather not have known.

Halima – Director: Linda Verweyen · Germany · 24 min · Somali (OmeU)

Halima is on her way back to the refugee shelter following an operation to correct her genital mutilation. Through this one character, this docufictional work combines the true stories of five women who together developed a strategy for remaining strong despite their painful experiences.

Fireworks – Director: Eily Freid · Israel · 16 min · Hebrew (OmeU)

As Israel celebrates its Independence Day, a young couple tries to conceive a child. Reports of the ongoing conflagration in Gaza blare from the radio. Tension fills the air.

Bar Croquette Freestyle – Director: Maria Dakszewicz · Poland · 5 min · Polish (OmeU)

At the Croquette bar, a woman reflects on her dull and lonely existence. She longs for some excitement. The solution would seem to be a rousing Bollywood film in which she imagines herself as the main character.

Nobody Barks – Director: Júlia Coldwell Serra · Spain · 20 min · Catalan (OmeU)

Candela accidentally runs over a dog that belongs to her nephew. To avoid ruining the kid’s birthday, she makes up a story about how the dog made a pilgrimage to a sacred tree. As they set out together to find it, Candela slowly becomes trapped in her web of lies.