I »Forsmåelse« borer instrukøren i oplevelsen af at blive afvist og vraget. Søren Fauli går i kødet på medieverdenens pampere og de kolleger, der løber med de laurbær, der burde tilkomme ham.

Fauli plays himself as the overlooked film director who never gets recognition. He is frustrated to a maniacal degree that everyone seems to win prizes which in his opinion rightfully belongs to him. Thus, he looks up Thomas Vinterberg and trashes him for winning this year's Natsværmerpris (awarded by the Natfilm Festival).