Animated film director and comic book artist Alberto Vázquez has been praised for the distinctive character of his illustrations and the visionary way in which he approaches realization within the genre. His work is endowed with an unmistakable versatility, marked by bold lines, vivid colors and surreal imagery that explore the different latitudes of human emotion and the complexity of contemporary societies. As an illustrator, his work mixes playful elements with dark themes, creating a visual tapestry that invites readers into a new world of imagination. As a director, Vázquez has won critical acclaim with animated films that explore the limits of narrative and provoke the audience. Throughout his career, Alberto Vázquez has won three Goya awards and been honored at various international festivals. At Curtas, he won the audience award in 2016 for Decorado. The In Focus program dedicated to him by Curtas is a comprehensive retrospective of his work, with short and long films such as Unicorn Wars (2022) and Birdboy: The Forgotten Childten (2015). The director, who will be in Vila do Conde, will give a masterclass on his work.

A section dedicated to looking at some of the emerging names in world cinema, this year's New Voices highlights the work of Catalan Laura Ferrés and Greek Yorgos Zois.

Known above all for her touching and intimate approach to human emotions and experience, Laura Ferrés' films celebrate the resilience and humanity of ordinary people. Often focusing on stories of social exclusion, the struggle for survival, and family dynamics, her work delves into the complexities of everyday life, capturing - in an incredibly authentic, raw, and meticulously detailed way - moments of vulnerability, connection, and empathy. The program Curtas is dedicating to her will include screenings of The Permanent Picture (2023) and The Disinherited (2017), as well as a Carte Blanche with the author's choices and a talk.

Yorgos Zois' work has been recognised for its innovative and critical approach to the social and existential themes of today's world, from human alienation to power dynamics. Born in 1982, Zois studied Applied Engineering before turning to filmmaking at the Berlin Film Academy. His work has been acclaimed at international festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin and Rotterdam, establishing him as a unique voice in contemporary European cinema. As part of Curtas' focus on him, Arcadia, his most recent feature film, will be screened - in its Portuguese premiere. The director will also be present in Vila do Conde, where he will take part in a talk.

In Focus: Alberto Vázquez

· Birdboy, Alberto Vázquez, Pedro Rivero, 2011, Spain, ANI, 13’

· Birdboy: The Forgotten Children, Alberto Vázquez, 2015, Spain, Japan, ANI, 76’

· Decorado, Alberto Vázquez, 2011, Spain, France, ANI, 16’

· Homeless Home, Alberto Vázquez , 2020, Spain, France, ANI, 15’

· Ramiro, Sucia rata, Alberto Vázquez, 2012, Spain, France, ANI, 1’

· Unicorn Blood, Alberto Vázquez, 2013, Spain, ANI, 9’

· Unicorn Wars, Alberto Vázquez, 2022, Spain, France, ANI, 92’

Carta Branca

· Astigmatismo, Nicolai Troshinsky, 2013, Spain, ANI, 4’

· El corrió junto a su camarada, Genís Rigol, 2022, Spain, ANI, 14’

· Jamon, Iria López, 2013, United Kingdom, ANI, 8’

· Metamorphosis, Juanfran Jacinto y Carla Pereira, 2019, France, Spain, ANI, 11’

· Simbiosis Carnal, Rocío Álvarez, 2017, Belgium ANI, 10’

· Soy una tumba, Khris Cembe, 2019, Spain, ANI, 12’

· Zepo, César Díaz Meléndez, 2014, Spain, ANI, 3’

New Voices: Laura Ferrés

· The Disinherited, Laura Ferrés, 2017, Spain, 18’

· The Permanent Picture, Laura Ferrés, 2023, Spain, 94’

Carta Branca

· Lonely Rivers, Mauro Herce, 2019, France, Spain, 28’

· Sóc vertical però m'agradaria ser horitzontal, María Antón Cabot, 2022, Spain, 40’

· Forastera, Lucía Aleñar, 2020, Spain, 20

New Voices: Yorgos Zois

· Arcadia, Yorgos Zois, 2024, Greece, USA, Bulgaria, 99’

· Casus belli, Yorgos Zois, 2010, Greece, 11’

· Eighth Continent, Yorgos Zois, 2017, Greece, Germany, 6’

· Interruption, Yorgos Zois, 2015, Greece, France, Croatia, Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 109’

· Out of Frame, Yorgos Zois, 2012, Greece, 12’

· Party Animal, Yorgos Zois, 2018, Greece, 9’

· Third Kind, Yorgos Zois, 2018, Greece, 32’

Carta Branca

· Le Saboteur, Ansii Kasitonni, 2022, Finland, 12’

· Cherries, Vytautas Katkus, 2022, Lithuania, 15’

· Aqueronte, Manuel Muñoz Rivas, 2023, Spain, 26’

· Washingtonia, Konstantina Kotzamani , Kleopatra Ampatzoglou, 2024, Greece, 24’