From July 11th to 13th, 2023, Curtas Pro - a program dedicated to film industry professionals - took place in Vila do Conde, as part of the 31st edition of Curtas Vila do Conde.

It was an intense three days of activities, networking, cooperation and project creation. Curtas Pro was also an opportunity to establish contacts with other specialists in the sector, share knowledge and look for potential partners. The event provided an environment conducive to the presentation of projects, pitching sessions and informal contacts with a view to internationalization, with the aim of boosting co-production and establishing collaborations between Portuguese and international producers. Curtas Pro also offered an overview of the funding options accessible through the Creative Europe program.

Aware of the enormous success of Portuguese animated cinema and the emergence of internationally recognized talents in this field - such as Laura Gonçalves, author of “O Homem do Lixo”, and João Gonzalez, author of “Ice Merchants”, which was the first ever nomination of a Portuguese film for the Oscars - this was the central theme of Curtas Pro 2023. The aim was to encourage new professional interactions between European animation film producers and distributors, in order to create co-production possibilities for projects still in the early stages of development (shorts and feature films), through meetings and networking moments to present projects.

How did this happen?
During pitching sessions, directors and producers presented each project in the early stages of production, followed by open questions from the audience.

An overview of the new funding opportunities supported by the Creative Europe program, with a focus on productions, was given by Susana Costa Pereira (Creative Europe MEDIA Desk Portugal).

The following projects were presented during the three sessions of this activity:

- THE DANCE OF THE FANCHONOS, Vier Nev (Portugal, 2024);
- THE MAN WHO DOESN'T EXIST, Ana Cristina Pereira (Portugal, 2024);
- ALMA'S CONDITION, Sara Naves (Portugal, 2025);
- BIRDS AND SHELLS, Alessandro Noveli (Portugal, 2023);
- PORTO SONORO, Vitor Hugo Rocha (Portugal);
- AS CARAS DA MÃE, Regina Pessoa (Portugal);
- THREE COMMA FOURTEEN, Joana Nogueira, Patrícia Rodrigues (Portugal, 2023);
- SILVER SALTS, Filipe Abrantes (Portugal, 2024)

Program promoted in collaboration with Desk Europa Criativa MEDIA Portugal.

Industry Screenings are private sessions for film industry agents of new Portuguese-produced short films seeking a world or international premiere. An event aimed at all festival programmers and artistic directors, as well as sales agents, distributors and other film professionals. The program was created in collaboration with the Portuguese Short Film Agency.

The following films were presented at this edition of Curtas Pro:

- THE CONVENT GARDNER, Patrícia Neves Gomes (Portugal, 2023);
- COMBAT, Rita M. Pestana (Portugal, Brazil, 2023);
- THE OUR OF THE STAR, Rita Barbosa (Portugal, 2023);
- I HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS CLOSE, Francisca Dores (Portugal, 2023);
- SULFUR, Karen Akerman, Miguel Seabra Lopes (Portugal, Brazil, 2024);
- STRATA INCOGNITA, Romea Muryn, Francisco Lobo (Portugal, Spain, 2023);
- THORN, André Guiomar, Mya Kaplan (Portugal, France, 2023);
- MARIA, Mário Macedo, Dornaz Hajiha (Portugal, France, 2023);
- SEAGULLS CUT THROUGH THE SKY, Mariana Bártolo, Guillermo Garcia Lopez (Portugal, Spain, 2023).

An activity where short film projects with Portuguese production in the early stages of development were presented in categories such as fiction, animation, documentary and experimental. This pitching and networking event aimed to promote partnerships between Portuguese and international producers around short film projects. In addition to the pitching sessions, it was also a unique opportunity for producers and participants to meet informally.

The following 8 projects were presented:

- Imitation of Life, Luís Nunes (Portugal, 2024);
- The Hunters, David Pinheiro Vicente (Portugal, France, 2024);
- Light In Darkness, Mariana Santana (Portugal, 2023);
- Under the Mountain's Shadow, Diogo Salgado (Portugal, France, 2023);
- Stone Beach, Sofia Bost (Portugal, France, 2023);
- My Senses Are All I Have to Offer, Isadora Neves Marques (Portugal, 2023);
- In the Dark, Inês Nunes (Portugal, 2023);
- The Dark Knot At The Center, Inês Pedrosa e Melo (Portugal, EUA, 2024).

The “Blit - New Short Film Projects Award” for the best submitted project went to “My Senses Are All I Have to Offer”, by director Isadora Neves Marques. The prize, worth 2,000 euros in post-production services, was sponsored by Blit.


My Senses Are All I Have to Offer
Isadora Neves Marques
Portugal
FIC

Lourdes and Lana met using “sensory pills”, a technology that allows one to feel other people's sensations at a distance. After months of relationship, Lourdes decides to visit her parents' country house to introduce them to her girlfriend.

Meet the Festivals was an opportunity for directors, producers, distributors or film students to meet in person with several of the programmers of the world's most important international festivals where short film competitions take place (Cannes, Venice, Locarno, Clermont-Ferrand, Berlin, Rotterdam, etc.), with a view to deepening their knowledge of the specifics of each event, so as to better promote their films on the international circuit. This edition of Meet the Festivals was attended by 13 festivals and 27 directors/producers.

Curtas Pro was organised in collaboration with Instituto Francês - Programa Mais França, Media Desk Portugal, AICEP and Agência da Curta Metragem.