Welcome to The Atlantis, a bar tucked away in Helsinki’s concrete-gray neighborhood. Here, staff and regulars alike drift through life, grappling with their emotions. Among them is Kauri, a nomad and eternal optimist who has mastered the art of running away. This time, he thinks he has found the ultimate escape: a van, the open road, and a one-way ticket to Portugal. But on the night of his departure, the dream stalls: his van breaks down. To pay for the repairs, Kauri has no choice but to head back to the one place he tried to leave behind: the Atlantis Bar.

Celebrating its international premiere in the Short Forms Competition at this year’s Series Mania, ATLANTIS PASILA is a peculiar series, where a local bar becomes the headquarters for a group of young adults. Some work there, some just hang out, and all are looking to reinvent their lives between shifts. This isn’t Central Perk; it’s the Atlantis Bar, a small sanctuary in the concrete heart of Helsinki. With a distinct Finnish sense of humor, the series captures their hesitations, their solitude, and their sometimes clumsy attempts to connect. A tender and genuinely funny story that makes you want to linger at the bar with them for a while.