How to Please to premiere in the IDFA Competition for Short Films

The 36th IDFA takes place in Amsterdam on November 8–19, 2023.

How to Please, directed and written by Elina Talvensaari, has been selected to the IDFA Competition for Short Films. The largest documentary film festival in the world also screened Talvensaari’s previous film Lady Time, which went on to win the national Jussi award for best documentary film.

How to Please tells the story of Wed Al-Asad, an Iraqi man who gets stuck in the Finnish asylum system. He tries his best to fulfil the wishes of a labyrinthine machine but finds out that even harder than to get in, is to get out. The film is produced by Aamu Film Company.

How to Please in the IDFA catalogue