It sometimes seems hard to connect to a world that is ever changing, the previous certainties we hold slowly crumbling away before our eyes. The films in the 2026 International Competition see people trying to find connection, a shared humanity that allows them to try and find some stability amongst a whirlwind of change. These connections sometimes cushion the blows of the iniquities of modern love – war, displacement, tragedy. Or they feed the joy of what makes life worth living in the first place. Sometimes these opportunities for connection pass by, a chance for redemption disappearing before our very eyes. Yet other times they are wholeheartedly embraced, our connections making us stronger and more open to what surrounds us.

We’re drawn to the protagonists of the International Competition because – as we watch them – we also find our own connection. Sitting there, in the dark of the cinema, we learn about new people, new ways of life. We’re confronted with drama, saddened by injustice, overjoyed by comedy. We’re delighted by new ways of telling stories, of discovering new storytellers and celebrating the joy of discovery that is always there when watching shorts.

The International Competition is diverse, showcasing a diverse range of techniques. Yet the films, like we as an audience, are connected in ways which make the world a much easier place to negotiate.

• Laurence Boyce