Nice’s annual European Short Film Festival dedicated to young cinematographic creation, may well be older than some of the filmmakers it features.
In the constellation of Mediterranean film festivals, Nice’s “Un Festival C’est Trop Court!” has carved out a distinctive niche as Europe’s most vibrant celebration of short-form cinema. As the festival prepares for its upcoming milestone 25th edition, it is diving deep into oceanic themes that perfectly align with Nice’s designation as a Year of the Ocean celebration host and the city’s ambitious Biennale des Arts et de l’Océan.
The programme kicks off at Le 109 on 3 October with an open-air celebration packed with movies, dance, exhibitions, and presentations of partner organisations. The projections from 4 to 10 October all across Nice feature a rich range from French to international films in different tones and styles. (See the link at the bottom for the programme and venues.)
For 2025, the festival embraces “Voyage dans la Mer / Seanema” as its central theme. This thematic choice reflects both the festival’s maturity and its ability to engage with contemporary environmental and cultural currents. It couldn’t be more timely. As climate consciousness reaches new heights and coastal cities like Nice grapple with environmental challenges, cinema becomes a crucial medium for processing our maritime anxieties and aspirations. The festival’s programming reflects this zeitgeist, featuring works that range from poetic meditations on water to urgent calls for ocean conservation.
Since its inception by the association Héliotrope in 1997, the festival has been championing films under an hour. What began as a modest showcase for emerging European filmmakers has evolved into an essential cultural appointment on the Riviera calendar, transforming Nice into a week-long laboratory of cinematic innovation each October. Its evolution mirrors the short film medium’s own journey from experimental curiosity to artistic powerhouse. Under Héliotrope’s stewardship, “Un Festival C’est Trop Court!” has consistently championed the democratizing power of short-form storytelling, providing a platform where emerging voices can experiment with narrative compression, visual poetry, and bold artistic statements impossible in feature-length formats.
The timing creates an intriguing cultural dialogue with another of Nice’s autumn film festivals, dovetailing into the tail end of the CinéRoman festival on October 4, which explores the adaptation bridge between classic literature and epic cinema productions and provides a fascinating counterpoint to the more experimental, original narratives typically featured in short film programming.
What sets the festival apart from many of its contemporaries, is its educational mission. Throughout the year, Héliotrope conducts image education programmes in schools across the Alpes-Maritimes, introducing young audiences to filmmaking fundamentals and fostering the next generation of cinephiles. These workshops, featuring meetings with directors and hands-on creation sessions, ensure the festival’s impact extends far beyond its October showcase.
What sets the festival apart from many of its contemporaries, is its educational mission. Throughout the year, Héliotrope conducts image education programmes in schools across the Alpes-Maritimes, introducing young audiences to filmmaking fundamentals and fostering the next generation of cinephiles. These workshops, featuring meetings with directors and hands-on creation sessions, ensure the festival’s impact extends far beyond its October showcase.
As Nice positions itself as a cultural capital that bridges Mediterranean traditions with contemporary artistic expression, “Un Festival C’est Trop Court!” embodies this duality perfectly, showcasing both European cinema’s experimental edges and the intimate storytelling traditions that resonate across cultural boundaries.
Find the detailed programme information, venues, and showtimes on the festival website. Individual and festival passes may be purchased online.
All images and video courtesy Un Festival C’est Trop Court! except lead image by Curated Lifestyle on Unsplash+ (Licensed under the Unsplash+ License)
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