Juha has lost his wife in a drowning accident. Years after he still feels numb and unable to connect with people. Meeting Mona, a dominatrix, changes everything.
The film is a darkly humorous story of loss, love and the sweet pain of being.

The Nominees: Screenwriter/director Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää, screenwriter Juhana Lumme, producers Aleksi Bardy and Helen Vinogradov

National Jury's motivation: Jukka-Pekka Valkeapää is a natural-born filmmaker. In crafting his worlds, each and every aspect of cinema is utilised. Dogs Don’t Wear Pants is all about the ability to recover from the loss of a loved one. It is also a deeply romantic yet unconventional love story. Instead of offering an easy way out, Valkeapää dares viewers to comprehend the hidden parts of the human mind.

National Jury: Jaana Puskala, Harri Römpötti, Mikaela Westerlund