The Short Film Day is back, ready to thrill film fans once again!
Every year, around December 21st, the Northern Hemisphere welcomes winter, marked by the astronomical phenomenon of the winter solstice. This unique event has inspired the creation of an initiative that celebrates short films around the world: The Short Film Day. This great festival of cinema heralds the arrival of winter, bringing with it a series of screenings that will take place all over the country, with a special focus on December 21st but extending throughout the rest of the month.
The Agência — Portuguese Short Film Agency is presenting four different programs, designed to capture the attention of viewers of all ages and backgrounds. With a mix of Portuguese and international cinematographic works, these films will be shown from the north to the south of the country, also passing through the islands.
The ‘Shorts of the World’ program features five internationally acclaimed short films made by emerging and established talents. ‘New Portuguese Shorts’ offers the chance to discover the creative voices of promising filmmakers, immersing yourself in the unique stories they have to share. For younger cinephiles, the programmes ‘Shorts For Everyone’ (from 6 years old) and 'Short Friends’ (from 3 years old) promise a surprising fusion of entertainment and animation, instructing young minds through enchanting visual narratives.
In addition, we are pleased to present an additional program - ‘Best Of Curtas’ - which includes several award-winning works from the latest edition of the Curtas Vila do Conde — International Film Festival.
If you're interested in hosting any of this national event's programs, just contact us: odiamaiscurto@curtas.pt or +351 252 646 683.
· · · ·
PROGRAMS
NEW PORTUGUESE SHORTS
Duration: 70' - M/12
A selection of four Portuguese short films that have recently premiered. Between animation, fiction and documentary, this programme brings us different perspectives from emerging directors, who take us on a journey through family dramas, stories of adolescence and childhood, a session full of emotion and also humour.
IT SHOULDN'T RAIN TOMORROW
Maria Trigo Teixeira
Portugal/Germany, 2024, ANI, 11'
Feeling that her mother can no longer live alone, a woman returns to her childhood home. Whilst trying to adapt to her new situation, the mother seems to sink deeper and deeper into herself.
A MOTHER GOES TO THE BEACH
Pedro Hasrouny
Portugal/Estonia, 2023, FIC, 16'
Teresa, a single mother, spends the day at the beach with her six-year-old son Benji and his sister Marga, who has returned to Portugal for the summer holidays. The day quickly becomes stressful as her sister constantly talks about her son's achievements and criticises Benji.
FRANCISCO PERDIDO
Frederico Mesquita
Portugal, 2024, FIC, 17'
Francisco is mugged on the same day he loses Rita's love. This is a dramatic comedy about growing pains, the portrait of a young man confronting the misfortunes of adolescence, under the guise of an equally unlucky football championship.
GOD-AND-A-HALF
Margarida Assis
Portugal, 2024, DOC, 26'
A man wanders around an abandoned hospital. Years after their last encounter, someone whose life he saved seeks him out in his old office, so that together they can piece together a memory of their shared past.
SHORTS OF THE WORLD
Duration: 69' - M/12
A selection of five short films that bring us the best of recent international cinema. Through the hands of new and established directors, we are taken through different stories, some from today's world and others that take us travelling back in time - to the history of the world and even to childhood.
BEEN THERE
Corina Schwingruber Ilić
Switzerland, 2023, DOC, 10'
Weekend trips, city breaks, a diversion into nature or a trip around the world. You've barely taken a few days off and you've already left. Never before has the desire to travel been so widespread and the places visited so overloaded. What do we get out of it, apart from photographic proof that we were there?
THE MAN WHO COULD NOT REMAIN SILENT
Nebojša Slijepčević
Bulgaria/Slovenia, 2024, FIC, 14'
February 27th, 1993, Strpci, Bosnia and Herzegovina. A passenger train travelling between Belgrade and Bar is stopped by paramilitary forces who, under the pretext of checking identification documents, are engaged in an ethnic cleansing operation. Among the 500 passengers, only one man protests against the illegal detention of innocent civilians. This is the true story of a man who couldn't keep his mouth shut.
ON THE WAY
Samir Karahoda
Kosovo, 2024, FIC, 15'
Father and son are on their way to the airport to collect a parcel from abroad. In the midst of the countless bureaucratic obstacles that appear along the way, their hope for real political and social change in their country, Kosovo, is fading. They can only find comfort and strength in their shared optimism for the future.
MAYBE ELEPHANTS
Torill Kove
Norway/Canada, 2024, ANI, 17'
When the parents and three sisters swap a safe and predictable life in Norway for the new unknowns of vibrant 1970s Nairobi, Kenya, this family's life undergoes a complete transformation. This is also the story of someone who, as a teenager growing up in a loving family, suddenly finds herself having to deal with the strong pull of individual needs.
DANCING IN THE CORNER
Jan Bujnowski
Poland, 2024, FIC, 13'
In Poland in 1989, as the communist regime collapses, a young man and his father, like many Polish families, share the experience and contentment of watching a football match on colour televisions. The ritual strengthens the relationship between the young man and his father over the years, and continues to captivate the boy's imagination. So much so that, from that moment on, his imagination never left him throughout his life.
SHORTS FOR EVERYONE
Duration 49' - M/6
A charming set of animated short films exploring themes such as distraction, friendship and courage, with quirky characters and tender moments. Ideal for the whole family, this session promises to entertain and thrill, bringing stories full of imagination and humour.
THE GIRL WITH THE OCCUPIED EYES
André Carrilho
Portugal, 2024, ANI, 8'
Once upon a time there was a little girl who was always distracted. With her eyes fixed on her phone, she didn't notice the world around her or anyone who wanted to play with her. What could be done to take her mind off it?
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS
Rémi Durin
France/Belgium, 2023, ANI, 11'
Alfonso, a young squirrel, always has his head in the clouds. He loves watching and photographing them. Neither his parents nor his friends really understand this passion. However, gazing at the clouds isn't always easy - Alfonso sometimes has to show courage worthy of the greatest explorers of our time.
BAKING WITH BORIS
Mâsa Avramović
France/Switzerland/Croatia, 2024, ANI, 8'
Every morning, Boris bakes a batch of hot bread and pastries for his neighbours until... Atchim! He can't stop sneezing. He's become allergic to flour. How will he manage to keep making bread for the whole village?
PIG
Jorn Leeuwerink
Netherlands, 2022, ANI, 8'
A group of animals connect the town's electricity grid to the snout of a sleeping giant pig. At first they all use the pig's energy for simple things, but soon they become dependent on it. What will happen when the giant wakes up?
PUFFERFISH
Julia Ocker
Germany, 2022, ANI, 3
In an ocean full of big, bad fish, the blowfish is trying to look as big and strong as possible.
ANIMANIMUSICAL
Julia Ocker
Germany, 2024, ANI, 3'
The Animals want to put on a great musical show, but it seems someone has got the wrong lyrics.
FILANTE
Marion Jamault
France , 2023, ANI, 8'
Every night, Paulette observes the same shooting star in the sky. She asks it for her deepest wish: to find her mysteriously missing pet rat. Days go by, but the animal doesn't return. Paulette wants to understand what's wrong with her lucky star.
SHORT FRIENDS
Duration: 35' - M/3
This year, dedicated to children over the age of 3, the Agency, in partnership with ShortCircuit, brings a nostalgic programme, bringing together the best European children's short films of recent years. A selection of 6 short films that promises to take us on a journey through different characters and worlds - full of colour and emotion.
THE CATERPILLAR AND THE HEN
Michela Donini and Katya Rinaldi
Italy, 2013, ANI, 10'15
The caterpillar and the hen are best friends. They both know that the time has come for them to separate; it will be nature, the secret pulse of the world, that will dictate the rhythm.
ETHER
Jorge García Velayos
Spain, 2004, ANI, 5'
An inviting journey through nature via the wind (leaves) and aquatic elements (fish).
THE WHITE CROW
Miran Miošic
Croatia, 2018, ANI, 9'
Because he's different from the others, Little White Crow is watched and teased by his flock. But when pollution begins to cause drastic changes in the environment, it's Little White Crow who helps the flock find a better home.
THE SMORTLYBACKS
Ted Sieger, Wouter Dierickx
Switzerland/China, 2013, ANI, 6'
On a mountain plateau, a shepherd and his strange herd go on a surprising and endless journey.
ISLAND
Max Mörtl, Robert Löbel
Germany, 2017, ANI, 3'
On an exotic journey to a peculiar island, we listen to the sounds of this fantastic world, which comes to life as the creatures that inhabit it come out of hiding.
MR NIGHT HAS A DAY OFF
Ignas Meilũnas
Lithuania, 2016, ANI, 2'
Why is the night changing the day? Well, when you don't like something, you change it.
BEST OF CURTAS
Duration: 65' - M/12
In partnership with the Curtas Vila do Conde festival, the agency presents a programme that brings together some of the award-winning works from the last edition of the festival. A selection of four short films that explore social/family norms and the current socio-political conjectures that influence our daily lives.
THAT'S HOW I LOVE YOU
Mário Macedo
Croatia/Portugal, 2024, FIC, 18'
Spending his holidays at his grandparents' house in the countryside, a boy learns a cruel lesson in mercy.
COMBAT
Rita M. Pestana
Brazil/Spain, 2023, FIC, 23'
Cassia lives with her alcoholic father and his illegal fighting cocks. Between looking after her father, driving his taxi for a living and tending to her favourite rooster, Cássia is rushed into a routine without any hope. Little by little, she will try to free herself from what would be the permanence of a life condemned to a spiral of family subjugation.
PERCEBES
Alexandra Ramires, Laura Gonçalves
France/Portugal, 2024, ANI/DOC, 11'
With the sea and an urban Algarve as a backdrop, we follow the complete life cycle of a special mollusc called ‘percebes’. On the way from its formation to the plate, we cross different contexts that allow us to better understand this region and those who inhabit it.
YUCK!
Loïc Espuche
France, 2024, ANI, 13'
Yuck! When the couples kiss (how disgusting!), their lips are filled with a shiny pink colour for all to see. Little Léo laughs at them, as do all the children at the holiday camp, hiding his own desire to kiss one of the camp friends from his friends. The only problem is that his lips also start to shine, revealing his desire to everyone.
