10/02/2026 DOCPOINT WIN

EQUAL DUST – DOCPOINT WINNER

THE SHORT DOCUMENTARY EQUAL DUST (ELÄMÄ JA YÖ), DIRECTED BY JANI PELTONEN, WON THE NATIONAL SHORT FILM COMPETITION AT DOCPOINT – HELSINKI DOCUMENTARY FILM FESTIVAL 2026.

Set during a night drive through central Helsinki in 1983, the archival-based film connects the journey to Cold War nuclear anxieties. The length of the drive mirrors the diameter of the destruction zone imagined in the NATO Able Archer nuclear exercise, creating a haunting reflection on history, memory and the threat of global catastrophe.

The jury praised the film for its powerful combination of archival footage, experimental form and dark humor, describing it as a chilling reminder of the consequences of nuclear war and the repetition of history in today’s uncertain political climate.

Read more about the festival and winners here.