Race Around the World recap: Catch this week's films

Race Around the World recap: Catch the week nine films Mon 3 Aug 2026 at 4:30am The six filmmakers taking part in ABC iview's Race Around the World are in the ninth week of their global adventure. Only finding out their destination with a day's notice, each filmmaker had just 10 days to find a story and produce a short film, to be judged by a panel of experts. But we also want your two cents. From pagan ceremonies to the world's biggest data centre, catch up on every week nine film, choose your favourite, and find out where they're headed next. Take part in our audience poll at the bottom of this page, or save the scroll and click here. Lucinda in Lithuania Title: Touch Grass What's it about? Distracted by negative online commentary, one contestant participates in an ancient pagan ceremony. Loading...Where is she headed next? Los Angeles, USA Jayden in Jordan Title: To My Future Self What's it about? As the Bedouin people find themselves moving back to their ancestral ways, Jayden prepares for the journey home. But what is home for someone who spends so much time away? Loading...Where is he headed next? Senegal Mikaela in Canada Title: An Ode To Keepers What's it about? A lighthouse keeper reflects the dignity of unseen labour and the often-invisible work that guides others. Loading...Where is she headed next? Mongolia William in Türkiye Title: The Watchman of Antiquity What's it about? After 17 years guarding an archaeological dig in rural Türkiye, Mustafa Güvën has taken on a new mission: ensuring the site isn't lost to time. Loading...Where is he headed next? Vietnam Elliot in Monaco Title: Lost In Monaco What's it about? Monaco should have been a dream, but behind the glitz and glamour, filmmaker Elliot finds himself chasing something far more elusive than luxury — a story. Lost in Monaco is not a film about wealth. It's a film about losing yourself and the journey back to remembering why you started in the first place. Loading...Where is he headed next? Brazil Kate in Utah, USA Title: Mr Wonderful's Atomic Bomb What's it about? Celebrity Shark Tank investor Kevin O'Leary plans to build the world's biggest data centre in the middle of the desert in Utah. Loading...Where is she headed next? China Pick your favourite We want to know your favourite film from this week's line up. Tell us below by tapping once on your pick. The poll will close on Thursday August 6 at 4:00pm. Get to know the contestants Mikaela Read moreDescribe yourself in three words: Artistic, poetic, magazine. My motto for Race Around the World is: Art is subjective. Not everyone is going to like your film, so as long as you make something that you're proud of, it doesn't really matter if people don't like it. One item that's making the suitcase no matter what: Wired headphones. There's too much travel to rely on a charged set of AirPods. My greatest fear while overseas is: Having luggage go overboard and get wet. With all our filming gear, water is really hard to recover from. Elliot Read moreDescribe yourself in three words: Chaotic, introverted extrovert. My motto for Race Around the World is: I always liked this saying in Portuguese, "Viva como se fosse morrer amanhã", which is like, live as if you will die tomorrow. I think you just need to enjoy every day. One item that's making the suitcase no matter what: My glasses, but I'll lose them. I've lost three pairs of glasses in the last month. My greatest fear while overseas is: Something happening to people that I love while I'm away. Jayden Read moreDescribe yourself in three words: Easy-going, lively, passionate. My motto for Race Around the World is: I think this one's actually plagiarised from the big man David Attenborough, but if people don't care about something, they won't protect it, and people won't care about something they can't see. One item that's making the suitcase no matter what: My long lens. It's a really long, stupidly heavy, big thing that no one in their right mind would want to carry when you're running around to 10 different countries. My greatest fear while overseas is: Getting to day nine and a story having completely fallen through, or if I shot a full story with someone, and then I'm ready to submit it, and for whatever reason, the person in the story pulls the pin. Lucinda Read moreDescribe yourself in three words: Bubbly, curious, unconventional. My motto for Race Around the World is: YOLO [you only live once]. One item that's making the suitcase no matter what: A necklace that means a lot to me, that's my talisman. My greatest fear while overseas is: The logistics. I dread not getting sleep. Kate Read moreDescribe yourself in three words: Curious, Wollongong, humorist My motto for Race Around the World is: Water off a duck's back. One item that's making the suitcase no matter what: My nan's ring, that would be my lucky charm. My greatest fear while overseas is: A misunderstanding would be really dreadful. Being Australian, I feel like we have a very good sense of humour, but it can also be a little bit different. You don't want people to think you're making fun of them, but that's sometimes how that can be interpreted. William Read moreDescribe yourself in three words: Content, introspective, disorganised My motto for Race Around the World is: Have fun. One item that's making the suitcase no matter what: My Nintendo Switch. My greatest fear while overseas is: My reputation for being a machine learning engineer getting tarnished by the fact that, I don't know, maybe I say something about not wanting to do it when really, I love my job.