The connection between French cinema and the esteemed Portuguese festival Curtas Vila do Conde was highlighted this year when three films honoured at the 2025 Césars in the short film category had previously been featured at the festival's International Competition in 2024. These films — The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, Beurk!, and Las Novias del Sur — have significantly impacted the European film scene.

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent, directed by Nebojša Slijepčević, won the Best Fiction Short Film award at the Césars. With its focus on historical memory and resistance, it garnered acclaim for its sensitive storytelling and cinematography.

In the Best Animated Short Film category, the César went to Beurk! by Loïc Espuche, praised for its humour and distinctive visual style at the 2024 festival.

Las Novias del Sur , directed by Elena López Riera, won the César for Best Short Documentary. This film highlights a group of women in Latin America striving for justice, drawing significant attention for its emotional weight and political relevance.

The success of these films reinforces Curtas Vila do Conde's reputation as a key platform for emerging filmmakers and innovative projects within the international short film circuit.