This edition's programme brings together filmmakers and producers from Portugal, Belgium, and Spain, who will present projects in the early stages of development to a panel of producers, distributors, festival programmers, and other professionals from the international audiovisual industry.

More than a pitching session, In Development is designed to generate concrete opportunities for international co-production, financing, and future distribution, fostering dialogue between filmmakers and strategic partners who can support the projects throughout their development.

Organised in collaboration with Wallonie Bruxelles Images, Flanders Image, Acción Cultural Española, a Embassy of Spain in Portugal, and Navarra Film Industry – NICDO, the initiative reflects Curtas Vila do Conde's growing commitment to building international production networks and supporting emerging filmmaking talent.

The 2026 edition features a selection of ten fiction, animation, documentary, and experimental projects by both emerging filmmakers and established voices on the international short film circuit, including Alice Eça Guimarães, Alice dos Reis, Eva Giolo, Gonçalo Pina, Patrícia Rodrigues, and Catarina Oliveira.

The projects will be evaluated by an international jury comprising Florian Fernandez, Head of the Short Film Corner | Rendez-vous Industry, member of the short film pre-selection committee of the Festival du Nouveau Cinéma, and Associate Programmer at SXSW; Sarah Schlüssel, Head of the Short Form Station at Berlinale Talents and member of the Berlinale Shorts selection committee; and Sofia Tocar, Short Film Distribution Manager at Square Eyes.

At the conclusion of the presentations, two awards will be presented. The In Development Award includes a €3,000 production grant provided by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre, a script consultancy offered by MIDPOINT Institute, and a sustainability consultancy provided by Repensar – Associação de Green Consultants de Portugal. The Next Cut Award offers €6,000 in audio post-production services and a sound consultancy for cinema provided by Pulsar Studios, as well as €400 in festival submission credits through the Festhome platform.

The programme is open exclusively to Industry accredited participants.

Selected Projects – In Development 2026

• The Hunt — Gonçalo Pina | Portugal | Fiction | 15'

• The Guest — Cristian Beteta | Spain / France | Fiction | 20'

• FURIES — Olivia Murrieri | Belgium | Fiction | 18'

• In Camera — Eva Giolo | Belgium | Experimental | 54'

• Garbage Memories — Patrícia Rodrigues | Portugal | Animation / Documentary | 12'

• Tap Dancing Ghost — Catarina Oliveira | Portugal / Germany | Fiction | 15'

• Range of Sight — Marta Magnuska | Portugal | Animation | 14'

• Old Clothes — Alice Eça Guimarães | Portugal / France | Animation | 10'

• San Juan — Carmen Ros | Spain / Serbia | Fiction | 15'The programme brings together filmmakers and producers from Portugal, Belgium, and Spain, who will present projects in the early stages of development to a panel of producers, distributors, festival programmers, and other professionals from the international audiovisual industry.