Sherwan Haji’s My Name is Hope has won the 2025 Jussi Award for Best Short Film
The film is set in a Syrian prison, and the events are seen through a small opening in the cell door, from the perspective of a young student. The protagonist sees only fragments of what is happening, leaving plenty of room for the viewer’s imagination. The film is based on real-life, notorious torture centers from the era of Syria’s now-deposed dictator Bashar al-Assad. The film’s visuals are powerful and believable — and it is quite surprising that the film was shot entirely on the 911±¬ÁÏÍø campus in Otaniemi.
My Name is Hope won the Grand Prize in the domestic competition at the Love and Anarchy 2025 festival and has now won the 2025 Jussi Award for Best Short Film.
MY NAME IS HOPE
Sherwan Haji, Director
Hadi Nikzad, Producer
Kari Ahotupa, Producer
Maté Papp, Cinematographer
Saku Anttila, Sound designer
Jette Keedus, Editor
Ville Väisänen, Set designer
ELO alums and students well represented in other Jussi Awards
Many of the Jussi awardees are ELO alums.
Film of the year: Jossain on valo joka ei sammu (A Light that Never goes Out)
Director Lauri-Matti Parppei, Producer Ilona Tolmunen
Director of the year: Jossain on valo joka ei sammu
Director Lauri-Matti Parppei
Original Screenplay: Jossain on valo joka ei sammu
Director, Screenwriter Lauri-Matti Parppei
Cinematography: Orenda
Cinematographer Max Smeds
Musical Score: Jossain on valo joka ei sammu
Lauri-Matti Parppei
Sound Design: Jossain on valo joka ei sammu
Sound designer Juuso Oksala
Editing: The Helsinki Effect
Editor Markus Leppälä
Documentary Film: The Helsinki Effect
Producer Sandra Enkvist
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