In a statement sent on 11 August to Lusa News Agency, the Évora International Short Film Festival (FIKE) indicated that, the 17th edition of the festival will screen 43 films between 20 and 25 September, in fiction, documentary and animation categories.

“The short films that will compete in the international competition were selected from 3,116 films from around 120 countries,” the statement says.

Promoted by the Society of Instruction and Recreation Workers (SOIR) Joaquim António de Aguiar and the Câmara de Évora, the event, created in 2001, celebrates its 20 anniversary.

Other exhibitions of partner festivals, premieres, master classes, workshops, exhibitions, concerts and debates will also fill this anniversary schedule, stressed the promoter.

Regarding the competition, the 43 selected films come from 20 countries: Portugal, Switzerland, Jordan, United Kingdom, Italy, Taiwan, France, Germany, Turkey, Iran, Peru, Spain, Belarus, Poland, South Korea, India, Israel, Canada, Russian Federation and Brazil.

This year, the official jury includes the programmer of FIC GIBARA ‐ Gibara International Film Festival (Cuba) Sergio Solás, producer Carla Osório (Brazil), Ukrainian Kyrylo Marikutsa, director of KISFF – Kyiv International Short Film Festival, a director and screenwriter Anna da Palma (Portugal) and Portuguese filmmaker Vítor Moreira.

“The documentary award will be voted on by the Estação Imagem Jury, composed of Pedro Borges (producer), Abel Rosa (director of photography and editor) and Jorge Costa Campos (director and documentary filmmaker)”, he added.

As usual, the Audience Award will also be awarded, whose jurors “will be all spectators present in the festival halls”, according to SOIR Joaquim António de Aguiar.

Directed by Luís Pereira, FIKE 2021 will highlight “national cinematography and the dissemination of first works and creation of new directors”, said the organization.

This year's edition of the event has the support of the Institute of Cinema and Audiovisual, Intermunicipal Community of Central Alentejo, Regional Directorate of Culture of Alentejo and University of Évora.