CURTA AÇORES 2025, the 16th Azores International Short Film Festival, is currently taking place at the Teatro Ribeiragrandense in Ribeira Grande, bringing a selection of independent cinema, animation, documentaries, and fiction from around the world until Saturday, November 29. Considered the oldest film festival in the archipelago, the event once again asserts itself as a regional cultural reference and a privileged window for new narratives and emerging talents.

This year, the festival pays two prominent tributes to actor Ricardo Carriço, a key figure in Portuguese cinema and television, and to director Rosa Coutinho Cabral, an Azorean filmmaker who has developed an established body of work in the field of documentary filmmaking.

The opening session featured a special screening of the feature film Criadores de Ídolos (Idol Makers) by Luís Diogo, a film in which Ricardo Carriço was recently honored as Best Supporting Actor at the 11th Cobb International Film Festival in the United States. The tribute to director Rosa Coutinho Cabral includes the screening of the documentary A Mulher que Morreu de Pé (The Woman Who Died Standing Up), dedicated to the Azorean poet and deputy Natália Correia, one of the most influential cultural figures of the 20th century. Both films are presented out of competition, as part of the tribute program that will culminate on Saturday night, when the winners of this edition will also be announced.

The 2025 edition brings together 32 films in competition from 12 countries. Portugal is the most represented country, with 15 short films, reinforcing the growing national production in the short format. The competitive sessions highlight a diversity of genres and aesthetic approaches, from intimate narratives to more daring visual explorations and contemporary themes.

The screenings take place daily at the Teatro Ribeiragrandense, with sessions open to the public at 8:30 p.m. and 9:40 p.m. Throughout the day, there are also special sessions aimed at schoolchildren and young people, promoting contact between new generations and auteur cinema and encouraging audiovisual literacy.

In Correio dos Açores, Natalino Viveiros, director

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.