‘The Bet’ got chosen for PÖFF Shorts National Competition 2026

We announce with great joy that 'The Bet' will premiere at PÖFF 'Shorts National Competition 2', 2026. Come see 'The Bet' premiere with us at Kino Artis on 10 November and at Apollo Kino Plaza on 15 November 2026. PÖFF Shorts will run from the 10th until the 18th of November. 'The Bet' is a psychological drama short film directed by Aaron Thor Härm, produced by Tuule Jõks and shot by Siim-Kaspar Kollamaa. The film is based on a true story and touches on themes such as naïve youth, reckless driving culture, and peer pressure. Plot: Maru and Nora are a couple who search for a ride to the city after a two-day party. They join a group of strangers heading the same way - only to discover the drivers have made a reckless bet. As the drive turns into a competition of ego and speed, the couple’s own tensions come to light. Since the film features scenes such as speeding and dangerous driving, Tuule Jõks had to take safety precautions. She first contacted the Estonian Transport Administration, then rented traffic signs and hired traffic controllers. “We could only film on a straight 1.2km stretch of road. Traffic controllers were positioned at both ends of the road section and were able to stop regular traffic for up to two minutes before filming began,” Tuule said. Risk assessments had to be prepared and safety briefings were held before each day of filming. Because the inside of the car was very dark, a light rig had to be built on the roof. In most cases, productions don’t do stunts with a car that has two big lights attached to it. Usually stunts are performed only for exterior shots where rigs are not needed. Interior shots are filmed separately on a safe trailer with proper lighting. We, on the other hand, chose to film interiors while doing stunts, so the performances would be as authentic as possible. This also meant that the rig needed to be attached to the car during stunt sequences. “The rig had to be so robust that it wouldn’t fly off during intense stunts. You could hang off it. This enabled us to make the interior shots look hectic,” Siim-Kaspar said. We hired professional stuntmen to help make the scenes look dangerous while doing it safely. One of the stuntmen we hired was Veiko Jänes. He has worked in big international films, like 'Sisu: Road to Revenge' and 'Azrael'.  Even though the maximum speed was 50km/h, stunt drivers made it feel a lot faster. They were doing crazy sharp turns and fast accelerations. Tuule got to experience first-hand what it was like being in the car since a body double was once needed for one of the main actors. She said, “It was very nerve-wracking, even at low speeds.” One fun fact is that Aaron, the director, could not even drive along with the actors. He had to direct from a distance since there wasn’t enough room in the picture car. Siim-Kaspar said, “It was only me, the stuntman, and three actors. The car had a wireless video transmission system. We would send the audio and video feed to the crew car that drove along with ours. After every take, Aaron could give feedback on the actors' performances and the technical aspects.” For Tuule, the most challenging part ended up being the last day of filming. “We were organizing a nighttime party scene with young people, and my sleep debt was already at a critical level. There were more than forty people involved, most of whom needed somewhere to sleep, and we had very little time to prepare.” But Tuule left 'The Bet' with a lesson: “If you're organizing a party scene, do everything in your power to make sure it takes place after everything is filmed.” In the end, the long journey was all worth it. “We felt great achievement after the final shot was captured. It made every drop of sweat and tear worth it,” Tuule said. Written by Lotta Raidna