The project co-coordinated by Mrs. Isabel Ribeiro has, as she points out, proven to be a success. The high-school teacher reveals that “the students are more and more motivated” and foresees a promising future since this a partnership “that has been growing and still has room to evolve”.

Responding to 4 main themes: “The long battle between Espinho and the Sea”, “Espinho’s Football Stadium”, “The life of Amadeo de Souza Cardoso” and “15 years of FEST", this project challenges the young inhabitants of Espinho to develop a film since the base of the script, leading up to the shooting and the editing phase. Of the proposed thematics, the one that caught the interest of most students was the Espinho Football Stadium and its symbology for the city.

It was with a great “sense of mission” that Fernando Vasquez, the festival’s programming director, oriented the students. For Fernando, the Curt.as.Fitas initiative is an “absolutely essential exhibition for them (students) to gain the capacities the need to face the world as it is”. Considering that “more and more children live inside a bubble”, these type of initiatives “forces them to break out of that bubble and expose themselves all on their own”. With the presentation of the student’s ideas, Fernando admitted having “enormous expectations” for this year’s edition.

Carolina, an art student, confessed that she was not familiar with the project. “Truly, I did not know about this project!”. But she revealed “when I chose my art course, I was always interested in this area but I had never been in touch with a project of such. The fact that our teacher proposed this project helped me and sharpened my curiosity to really want to be a part of it.”.

Eunice, her team member, does not let her course determine her and admits: “I don’t know if I’ll make a career out of it but I, despite being a Science student, like the arts and would consider the option.”

The students hope to take from this experience good memories and a better understanding of the film industry, revealing that deep down what matters the most “is the experience and learning something, because everything teaches us something”.

With this initiative, FEST aims to create new consuming habits, whilst promoting the young students’ interest in new areas and possibilities of careers, thus contributing to a more diverse form of education.

All the participants will receive a FEST Cinephile accreditation, that will give access to all the cinema sessions of the festival and the winners will be awarded a FEST - Talent Badge, allowing them to participate in the masterclasses and workshops that the festival has to offer.

Furthermore, the students will have the opportunity to see their films included in the official screening program of this FEST’s 15th edition, taking place from the 24th of June to the 1st of July 2019.