January 3, 2026
REVIEW
The Darkest Blue, directed by Andrew Steggall
can poor acting destroy
a well constructed film?
After watching the film, one is left with the uneasy confirmation of a familiar and troubling truth: the evaluation of an artist’s work remains profoundly subjective, and too often recognition arrives only after death. This bleak irony lies at the heart of the film’s central premise - that to be fully seen, acknowledged, and validated as an artist, one must first disappear. While this perspective is not entirely new, the film frames it as a pointed critique of the cultural reality we continue to inhabit.
The film’s dramaturgy aligns closely with its aesthetic sensibility. The restrained color palette, the measured movement of the camera, and the recurring images of the sea - which subtly transforms into an active witness, even an accomplice to the unfolding crime - work in concert with the thematic score. Together, these elements form a coherent and atmospheric unity that supports the narrative rather than overwhelming it.
However, the film falters in its dramatic momentum. A noticeable lack of depth in the performances, particularly in the characters’ emotional reactions, diminishes the narrative tension. This emotional restraint, rather than serving the story, ultimately weakens its impact, preventing the film from fully realizing the weight of its thematic ambitions.
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The Review section at AVFRI is dedicated to short films that invite reflection beyond their runtime and are publicly available on various platforms such as YouTube or Vimeo.
Lisboeta International Short Film Festival
Rules & Regulations 2026
October 3, 2025
* We accept fiction films of any genre up to 20 minutes. Other genres (including documentary and animation) can be accepted to be screened at the festival only in non-competition section.
* Films that have been completed prior to March 30, 2024 are not eligible to submit to the competition category of the festival.
* All content submitted in any language (including English) is required to have English subtitles included.
* All films must be submitted on NTSC DVD or PAL or as an online screener. We do NOT screen films in any other format.
* No porn content.
* We reserve the right to promote any film submitted to LISFF via our social media channels or website. This may include Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube.
* In regards to intellectual property, you are fully responsible for the copyrights of any images, music, sound or graphics contained in your entry.
* If you are an independent filmmaker (if you as a director produced your own film) and your film is premiering at LISFF, you can submit your film without an entry fee by sending us a preview copy via email beforehand (contact festival directly to learn other possible benefits).
* There are two stages of selection at LISFF:
1.Preselection:
Films that are preselected at the festival are not in the stage of ‘Official Selection’ and their ‘Judging Status’ on FilmFreeway do not change. These are the films that have passed the first selection and are selected to be considered for the ‘Official Selection’.
2.Official Selection:
Officially selected films are the films that are listed to be screened at the competition section of the festival. As soon as the film is officially selected its Judging Status on FilmFreeway changes and submitter gets notified.
* Films that are presented on the social media channels of the festival (Facebook, Instagram, Youtube) under the 'Spotlight' announcement for the promotional purposes are not considered as 'preselected' or 'officially selected' unless they are announced so.
* Films that are publicly available on online media platforms will not be eligible for the competition section of the festival, even if they meet all other criteria for official selection.
* LISFF is hereby granted the right to utilize an excerpt from any film submitted and accepted for exhibition at the Festival for promotional purposes.
* The selection committees’ and juries’ decisions are final.
* Lisboeta International Short Film Festival reserves the right to make any necessary changes in regulations or scheduling.
* The Festival reserves the right to exhibit any submitted film that is more than two years old on its official website or online platforms (e.g., avfri.com) for promotional purposes for a maximum period of 48 hours.
* The Festival reserves the right to publish a review or analysis of any submitted film on its official social media accounts, its Patreon page, and its official partner website, avfri.com.
* During the Early Bird period, each submitter is limited to one film submission. Any additional submissions will result in all entries being disqualified.
* By submitting your film to the LISFF, you agree that you have read and accepted rules of the festival.
LISFF
2026
5th Edition
Still frame from the film As it Was, awarded Best Director at the 4th edition of LISFF.
September 20, 2025
Lisboeta International Short Film Festival is Getting Ready
to Open Submissions for its 5th Edition
The countdown has begun: submissions for the 5th edition of the Lisboeta International Short Film Festival will soon be open, and with it comes the thrill of discovery. Each new application season feels like stepping through a door into an uncharted universe—full of mystery, creativity, and stories waiting to be told.
Short cinema has always been a world of experimentation, but the last decade has transformed it beyond recognition. At the heart of this shift is the digital revolution. Social media platforms have shattered the old barriers between filmmakers and their audiences. Today, a film can be made with minimal resources, uploaded in an instant, and find itself watched by millions across the globe. What once required costly distribution deals or festival laurels is now possible for anyone with a camera and a compelling vision.
But it’s not only the way films are made that has changed—it’s also the way they are seen. Audiences are evolving with every season, and short films fit perfectly into our accelerated cultural rhythm. In an era of fleeting attention spans, the short film delivers concentrated emotion and impact. Its brevity is not a limitation but a strength, offering space for bold experiments and daring narratives that mainstream cinema often resists. This is what we observe every festival season at Lisboeta.
Every year, the Lisboeta becomes a meeting ground for this energy: a space where filmmakers push the boundaries of storytelling and audiences discover just how powerful a few minutes on screen can be.