Nordic Frames: Cold Plunge - Lapinlahti Film Festival 2026

Heat bursts smoothed out into breaths of fresh air - a selection of short films
emulating the sauna experience.

Short films:

1. Mixed Sauna, Finland
2. No One Owns You, Finland
3. Sauna Sickness, Sweden
4. Maybe in March, Denmark
5. Sauna people, Finland

The short films are followed by a 30 minute Q&A session.

All short films have english subtitles.

Lapinlahti Film Festival's Nordic Frames program brings new short films from all over the Nordics to Helsinki.

Maximum of two tickets per booking. Do not make multiple bookings for the same show. If you book a ticket but later encounter an obstacle, cancel the ticket well in advance using the link included in the email.

Mixed Sauna

Project title (Original Language): Sekasauna
Country: Finland
Year: 2026
Duration: 16min
Director: Juuso Timonen
Age limit: 7

Synopsis: Introvert Mikko is anxious that he won’t be able to come out of his shell during the weekend at his relatively new spouse’s cottage. His spouse Hanna is certain that Mikko will make a great first impression on her chosen family, the three friends that they are hosting.

When it’s time for the sauna Mikko has not, despite all his attempts, figured out the sauna dress code of this new social bubble. As he steps into the sauna, Mikko realizes he’s the only one wearing swimwear—everybody else is naked. This traumatising event causes mixed emotions which Mikko is unable to shake away. Mikko tries to come out of his shell with his own way but everything ends up going even worse.

No One Owns You

Project title (Original Language):  Dig Äger Ingen
Country: Finland
Year: 2025
Duration: 18min
Director: Agnes Koskinen
Age limit: S 

Synopsis: The film is about 18-year-old Alicia, a competitive swimmer. She spends a day out at her summer house during the peak of summer, where she swims over to another island and finds Mira, a charming and confusing girl. The meeting of the two ignites a crisis inside Alicia's mind, and now she has to figure out in what direction she wants her life to go. (Available with both Finnish and English subtitles) 

Sauna Sickness

Project title (Original Language): -
Country: Sweden
Year: 2026
Duration: 15min
Director: Malin Barr
Age limit: 16

Synopsis: Struggling to maintain the peace she mistakes for love, Cleo's steamy New Year's Eve plans fissure into a chilling nightmare.

Maybe in March

Project title (Original Language): Måske i Marts
Country: Denmark
Year: 2025
Duration: 25min
Director: Mikkel Bjørn Kehlert
Age limit: 12

Synopsis: Somewhere in rural Denmark, a house awaits its farewell. A family holds its breath. And something is slipping away. 

Sauna People

Project title (Original Language): Saunojat
Country: Finland
Year: 2025
Duration: 5min
Director: Sanna Taikina
Age limit: S

Synopsis: In this hand-drawn 2D pencil animation, the First Sauna arrives on Earth to give birth to the Sauna People.

Clashing customs spark conflict in the birthing sauna — but who, in the end, has the right to be a real sauna person? Emotions ferment in a bottle. Cooperation is found through a trial fueled by potatoes and a storm. 

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Auditorium

The auditorium is dark and air-conditioned, so it can feel quite cool. Please bring warm clothing, hearing protection if needed, and stay hydrated – a reusable water bottle is an excellent companion.

Please note that the use of alcohol or other intoxicating substances is prohibited inside the auditorium and throughout the festival area.

Please be kind to yourself and to those around you. Thank you!