The Curtas's National Competition is a significant event for the Portuguese cinema community. It provides an important opportunity to share experiences and carefully assess the state of contemporary Portuguese cinematography, known for its intensity and irreverence. The 2024 Curtas selection continues to showcase the vitality, diversity, and energy of multiple generations of filmmakers. This year, the list of films includes works by Isadora Neves Marques, Inês Lima, and Daniel Soares, all of whom had their world premieres at Cannes. Films by Rita M. Pestana, Patrícia Neves Gomes, Frederico Mesquita, Sofia Borges, and Margarida Assis are competing for the first time at the festival. The section also features the return of filmmakers such as Maria Trigo Teixeira, Margarida Vila-Nova, Pedro Caldas, Alexandra Ramires, and Laura Gonçalves, who won the best short film award at Annecy, the largest animation festival, as well as Luís Costa, Mário Macedo, Joana Nogueira, and Patrícia Rodrigues.

The International Competition of the Festival is an exciting platform showcasing the world's best short films, featuring various animations, fiction, and documentaries. It is known for introducing new talents such as Nebojša Slijepčević (winner at Cannes for The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent), Frank Sweeney (winner at Rotterdam for Few Can See), Ilir Hasanaj (winner at Rotterdam for Workers' Wings), and Eric K. Boulianne (winner at Locarno for Making Babies). Some of the established names that have been featured at Curtas include Torill Kove (presented at Curtas for the third time with Maybe Elephants), Samir Karahoda (with On the Way), Florence Miailhe (with Papillon), Nina Gantz (Wander to Wonder), Nicolas Keppens (third time at Curtas, with Beautiful Men), Corina Schwingruber Ilić (fourth presence, with Been There), and Elena López Riera (winner of the Curtas Grand Prix in 2019 and highlighted in the New Voices program in 2020).

Experimental films have played a central role in the festival's programming, contributing significantly to its identity. Year after year, these films have showcased various creative possibilities, going beyond visual and sound experimentation to explore unexpected connections between reality and fiction. They continue to surprise us through different approaches, delving into the full range of emotions and concerns that films can evoke. Both filmmakers and audiences demonstrate that this field is constantly evolving. The lineup of 23 films serves as a space for critical thinking, dreams, and freedom, where the political, the personal, and the poetic coexist. Some familiar names from previous editions, such as Miranda Pennell, Joana Hadjithomas, Khalil Joreige, Rainer Kohlberger, Siegfried A. Fruhauf, and Kevin Jerome Everson, will be joined by newcomers like Rita Morais, Nicolas Gebbe, and J.P. Sniadecki.

This year's Curtas 2024 program includes a focus on the works of Bertrand Mandico, Elina Löwensohn, Alberto Vázquez, Laura Ferrés, and Yorgos Zois. Additionally, there will be a special program for families (Curtinhas) and a Take One! school film competition. Notable highlights include the first northern screening of Estamos no Ar a feature film by Diogo Costa Amarante, and a talks program aimed at fostering a closer connection between the audience and the filmmakers. This program will also feature a dialogue with Solar - Cinematic Art Gallery by Morgan Quaintance and Stereo's extensive cine-concert offerings.