Triste Para Sempre 2026 — 10, 11 e 12 de Julho, Cinema São Jorge

The 6th edition of Triste Para Sempre arrives at Cinema São Jorge for the first time, on 10, 11 and 12 July. Three days, 42 films, plenty of tears.

In 2026, the curation turns to Portuguese traditions, craftsmanship and preservation: a gesture against the forgetting of ancestral practices that carry a very particular kind of nostalgia. Artisans, recreational groups and small Portuguese businesses give the festival its colour and texture.

The programme is unapologetically Portuguese: 39 short films (both national and international), grouped into thematic sessions such as "Terra Devastada", "Para onde foi a mãe?", "O Corpo Estranho" and "Corações Partidos", and three feature films: "Somos dois abismos" by Kopal Joshy, "Deuses de Pedra" by Iván Castiñeras Gallego and "Terra Vil" by Luís Campos. All shaped by an attentive look at rural Portugal, traditional gender roles and isolation.

Programme

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Film Guide Buy Tickets

Activities

Date to be announced

Cyanotype Workshop

Cabo Ruivo

In collaboration with Sud Sud studio, we offer a workshop focused on the colour blue and on this printing technique that dates back to the origins of analogue photography.

The theme of the festival's 6th edition is Portuguese traditions, craftsmanship and preservation. This collaboration aims to encourage manual artistic expression as a way to connect with individual sensibility and to foster community practices.

The blue poster of this edition of Triste Para Sempre was handmade using watercolour and cyanotype, which gives it its natural character.

The workshop will take place at the Sud Sud studio, on a date to be announced, will last 3 hours and has limited capacity. Registration costs 25€ and includes a cyanotype kit and a snack. You don't need to bring anything, but you may bring your own images such as photographs, drawings or materials with specific textures, to use in the workshop and get more personalised results!

Registration and payment via:
tristetristeparasempre@gmail.com

Address: Avenida Inf. Dom Henrique 334, 1800-224 Lisbon
10 July

Grupo Coral Os Rama Verde

The opening ceremony begins with a musical performance by Grupo Coral Os Rama Verde, whose presence at the festival started back in the 2026 promotional spot.
11 July

Madeira Embroidery Workshop
Embroidery Picnic: Embroider Your Farewell Handkerchief
10am, Jardim da Estrela

Festival Triste para Sempre and Bailha invite you to a sharing experience in the heart of Lisbon. Led by David Oliveira, this workshop proposes a creative look at sadness, validating it as a vital emotion and a source of beauty.

This morning, we reclaim the handkerchief as an archetypal object of longing, farewell and the wiping of our tears. Historically marked by complex dynamics, oscillating between a practice of domestic submission and a silent tool of female empowerment, Madeira Embroidery is here rediscovered as a therapeutic and ritualistic act.

The gathering takes the form of a picnic in the Jardim da Estrela. Surrounded by nature, participants will be able to slow down, talk and embroider their own creations using the traditional stitches of Madeira Embroidery: Ponto Corda, Garatino and Matiz.
- Introduction Circle: Presentation of the festival concept and Bailha's approach to the art of embroidery.
- The Drawing: Individual exploration of references to draw. Transfer of the drawing onto fabric.
- Guided Practice: Learning the fundamental stitches and developing the embroidery in a relaxed picnic setting.
- Closing: Individual reflection on the meaning of the "farewell handkerchief". Sharing the process and receiving cinema tickets.
Practical Information:
- Date: 11 July
- Location: Jardim da Estrela, Lisbon (Meeting point at the Bandstand)
- Price: €45 (materials included, selection of vegan and gluten-free snacks and drinks, and 1 ticket to a screening of your choice from the Triste Para Sempre programme)
- Open to everyone, with or without previous embroidery experience.
The workshop will only take place with a minimum of 5 registered participants. If the minimum is not reached two days before the event, registered participants will be contacted for a refund or exchange of the workshop fee for a store voucher. The same procedure applies if the workshop is cancelled due to force majeure.

Cancellations/refunds: The registration fee will be refunded to anyone who cannot attend and communicates their withdrawal at least 5 days in advance.

Registration and payment at:
bailha.pt
11 July

Triste Para Sempre After Party

Casa Capitão
00h, 11 July

After the last session of the festival's second day, Triste Para Sempre changes address: we head to Casa Capitão, one of our institutional partners, to keep the night going in good company.

Time to dance the heartache away, drink in hand, celebrating another day of the festival together.

Tickets at:
dice.fm

Jury

National Feature Competition
Andreia Nunes
Andreia Nunes is a film producer, lecturer and co-founder of Wonder Maria Filmes, an independent Portuguese production company devoted to the development and production of cinematographic and audiovisual works of social relevance and a strong European and international dimension.
Among her most recognised projects are the short film Um Caroço de Abacate, directed by Ary Zara and shortlisted for the Oscars®, and the feature 18 Buracos para o Paraíso, directed by João Nuno Pinto, one of the first Portuguese productions developed according to principles of environmental sustainability and Green Film certification.
Throughout her career, she has taken part in several international co-productions, among them Honeyjoon, by Lilian T. Mehrel, winner of the AT&T Untold Stories award at the Tribeca Festival. Andreia has attended leading training programmes such as the EAVE Producers Workshop, TorinoFilmLab and the MIDPOINT Institute. Her work is distinguished by a commitment to sustainable, inclusive and collaborative production models, fostering creative partnerships on a European scale.
National Feature Competition
Gonçalo Pôla
Born in Alvito, in the Alentejo, in 1980, Gonçalo developed an attentive eye for the people and territories around him. Living among artists of different backgrounds awakened his interest in image, creation and visual narrative.
A photographer and director, he has worked with artists such as João Paulo Feliciano, Moreno Castellano, Rui Algarvio, Pedro Calhau and Luís Christello, and with musicians such as Benjamim, Selma Uamusse, Lena d'Água and Flak.
In 2015 he premiered the documentary Auto-Rádio, broadcast on RTP1. In 2019 he joined the production team of the documentary series Mar – A Última Fronteira, broadcast on RTP1 and RTP3. He has also developed projects for entities such as RTP, SIC, Real Ficção and Ramos e Castellano Arquitectos.
Since 2020 he has been president of Clube da Natureza de Alvito and coordinator of Encontros de Alvito. In 2022, with the documentary series DE CANTE, he won ICA's writing and development support for the episode dedicated to the Alentejo. He is currently co-directing a documentary about the island of Santa Maria, in the Azores.
National Feature Competition
Hélder Beja
Hélder Beja is director of Doclisboa – International Film Festival and a board member of APORDOC – Portuguese Documentary Association. As an author, editor and programmer, his work spans cinema, literature, journalism and anthropology. He is co-screenwriter of the feature film Projecto Global (International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2026) and of the series O Americano (RTP, 2024). He lived in China for a decade, where he worked as a journalist and co-founded and led the programming of the Macao Literary Festival across seven editions (2012–2018). He is also one of the organisers of the biennial conference of Asia Pacific Writers & Translators.
National Shorts Competition
Hugo Gomes
A freelance critic and journalist registered with the OFCS (Online Film Critics Society), based in the USA. He began his writing career on the blog Cinematograficamente Falando… in 2007 (relaunched as a website in 2026), later contributing to various outlets, portals and magazines such as Repórter Sombra, Kerodicas, C7nema, Cinema 7ª Arte, Sapo and Nisimazine, the official publication of NISI MASA – European Network of Young Cinema. He attended the film criticism workshop in San Sebastián under NISI MASA (2014) and completed the course 'Ensaio Audiovisual e Crítica de Cinema como Prática Criativa' at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of Universidade Nova de Lisboa. He was one of the programmers of the 2015 edition of FEST: Festival de Novos Realizadores de Espinho, also collaborated on the podcast 'Feios, Porcos e Maus', and currently covers a wide range of national and international festivals (Cannes, San Sebastián). He is one of the critics at Metropolis magazine and author of the informal cinephilia podcast 'Bola Preta'. An advocate of an empirical and lyrical criticism, he seeks to distance that creative expression from formal academicism and its intellectual sphere.
National Shorts Competition
Mário Ventura
Mário Ventura has built a career in cinema across directing, production, programming and audience development. Founder and director of Entre Olhares – Portuguese Film Festival, he has affirmed a body of work centred on valuing national production and creating spaces for reflection on contemporary cinematic creation. His experience crosses artistic practice with cultural management, having collaborated on projects in fiction, documentary, animation, advertising and music videos. In parallel, he has developed regular activity in film programming and education, with a particular focus on engaging new audiences and promoting film literacy.
National Shorts Competition
Sónia Balacó
Sónia Balacó was born in Peniche in 1984. She has worked as an actress since 1999, taking part in projects such as 'Vikings: Valhalla' (Netflix), 'Último a Sair' and 'Porta Premium', among many others. She is the author of the poetry books 'CONSTELAÇÃO' (2015) and 'ROSA' (2024), and translator of 'Pedaços de Uma Canção' (2026) by the poet Diane di Prima. Her performance 'THE POET IS PRESENT' was part of Festival Iminente in 2019. She is the director, writer and producer of the series 'PRISMA', in which she also stars.
International Shorts Competition
Margarida Moz
Short Film Programmer at IndieLisboa – International Film Festival and Director of Portugal Film – Portuguese Film Agency.
With a degree in Social Anthropology, she has worked in the film sector for more than 20 years, active in the fields of documentary research, film production and festival programming. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with several festivals in Portugal and taught Anthropology at higher education institutions in Lisbon.
Since 2013, she has been part of the short film programming team at IndieLisboa – International Film Festival. She is also one of the directors of Portugal Film – Portuguese Film Agency, the body responsible for the international promotion and representation of Portuguese cinema, contributing to its circulation and visibility among festivals, markets and professionals worldwide.
International Shorts Competition
Ricardo Branco
Ricardo Branco (Amarante, 1992). He holds a degree in Literature from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Porto and a Master's in Cinema from the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of Universidade Nova de Lisboa. In 2010 he published his first novel, Amor Combate. He has directed three films in an academic context, with significant festival circulation: 1500 premiered at BFI Flare 2016, the short documentary Fora de Campo premiered at the Cinemateca Portuguesa (2017), and the fiction short Rute received a Special Jury Mention at Queer Lisboa 2017. Rute was also shown in contemporary art galleries. His first feature, Nossos Ossos, in development, has been selected for Torino FilmLab and the Eave+ programme. Ricardo Branco works regularly as a screenwriter, script supervisor and assistant director. He is also creator and curator of the cultural festival Escrever nas Margens. In 2021 he was invited to join the jury of Queer Lisboa. In 2023, he directed a music video for Filipe Sambado's most recent work.
Sob Influência is his latest short film, which premiered at Frameline, in San Francisco, California, and was awarded best short film at the ShortCutz Festival. It also had its commercial release in more than 20 Portuguese cinemas, on 20 June 2024, as part of the Ovnis, Monstros e Utopias session. His films have been shown at international festivals around the world, including India, Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Ireland, among others.
International Shorts Competition
Rita Nunes
Rita Nunes is a director, screenwriter and producer. A Cinema graduate from the Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema, she made her directorial debut in 1997 with the short film Menos Nove, recognised at several international festivals. Over more than two decades she has built a body of work crossing fiction and documentary, exploring contemporary social and political themes. Among her best-known works are Só Por Acaso, awarded the Prix Europa for Best TV Film, and Linhas Tortas, winner of the European Audience Award at the ARTE Kino Festival. Her most recent fiction feature, O Melhor dos Mundos, premiered at international festivals and in Portuguese cinemas in 2024, and can now be seen on HBO Max. She is currently developing a documentary about the Portuguese writer Lídia Jorge.

National Feature Competition

Andreia Nunes

Andreia Nunes is a film producer, lecturer and co-founder of Wonder Maria Filmes, an independent Portuguese production company devoted to the development and production of cinematographic and audiovisual works of social relevance and a strong European and international dimension.
Among her most recognised projects are the short film Um Caroço de Abacate, directed by Ary Zara and shortlisted for the Oscars®, and the feature 18 Buracos para o Paraíso, directed by João Nuno Pinto, one of the first Portuguese productions developed according to principles of environmental sustainability and Green Film certification.
Throughout her career, she has taken part in several international co-productions, among them Honeyjoon, by Lilian T. Mehrel, winner of the AT&T Untold Stories award at the Tribeca Festival. Andreia has attended leading training programmes such as the EAVE Producers Workshop, TorinoFilmLab and the MIDPOINT Institute. Her work is distinguished by a commitment to sustainable, inclusive and collaborative production models, fostering creative partnerships on a European scale.
Gonçalo Pôla

Born in Alvito, in the Alentejo, in 1980, Gonçalo developed an attentive eye for the people and territories around him. Living among artists of different backgrounds awakened his interest in image, creation and visual narrative.
A photographer and director, he has worked with artists such as João Paulo Feliciano, Moreno Castellano, Rui Algarvio, Pedro Calhau and Luís Christello, and with musicians such as Benjamim, Selma Uamusse, Lena d'Água and Flak.
In 2015 he premiered the documentary Auto-Rádio, broadcast on RTP1. In 2019 he joined the production team of the documentary series Mar – A Última Fronteira, broadcast on RTP1 and RTP3. He has also developed projects for entities such as RTP, SIC, Real Ficção and Ramos e Castellano Arquitectos.
Since 2020 he has been president of Clube da Natureza de Alvito and coordinator of Encontros de Alvito. In 2022, with the documentary series DE CANTE, he won ICA's writing and development support for the episode dedicated to the Alentejo. He is currently co-directing a documentary about the island of Santa Maria, in the Azores.
Hélder Beja

Hélder Beja is director of Doclisboa – International Film Festival and a board member of APORDOC – Portuguese Documentary Association. As an author, editor and programmer, his work spans cinema, literature, journalism and anthropology. He is co-screenwriter of the feature film Projecto Global (International Film Festival Rotterdam, 2026) and of the series O Americano (RTP, 2024). He lived in China for a decade, where he worked as a journalist and co-founded and led the programming of the Macao Literary Festival across seven editions (2012–2018). He is also one of the organisers of the biennial conference of Asia Pacific Writers & Translators.

National Shorts Competition

Hugo Gomes

A freelance critic and journalist registered with the OFCS (Online Film Critics Society), based in the USA. He began his writing career on the blog Cinematograficamente Falando… in 2007 (relaunched as a website in 2026), later contributing to various outlets, portals and magazines such as Repórter Sombra, Kerodicas, C7nema, Cinema 7ª Arte, Sapo and Nisimazine, the official publication of NISI MASA – European Network of Young Cinema. He attended the film criticism workshop in San Sebastián under NISI MASA (2014) and completed the course 'Ensaio Audiovisual e Crítica de Cinema como Prática Criativa' at the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of Universidade Nova de Lisboa. He was one of the programmers of the 2015 edition of FEST: Festival de Novos Realizadores de Espinho, also collaborated on the podcast 'Feios, Porcos e Maus', and currently covers a wide range of national and international festivals (Cannes, San Sebastián). He is one of the critics at Metropolis magazine and author of the informal cinephilia podcast 'Bola Preta'. An advocate of an empirical and lyrical criticism, he seeks to distance that creative expression from formal academicism and its intellectual sphere.
Mário Ventura

Mário Ventura has built a career in cinema across directing, production, programming and audience development. Founder and director of Entre Olhares – Portuguese Film Festival, he has affirmed a body of work centred on valuing national production and creating spaces for reflection on contemporary cinematic creation. His experience crosses artistic practice with cultural management, having collaborated on projects in fiction, documentary, animation, advertising and music videos. In parallel, he has developed regular activity in film programming and education, with a particular focus on engaging new audiences and promoting film literacy.
Sónia Balacó

Sónia Balacó was born in Peniche in 1984. She has worked as an actress since 1999, taking part in projects such as 'Vikings: Valhalla' (Netflix), 'Último a Sair' and 'Porta Premium', among many others. She is the author of the poetry books 'CONSTELAÇÃO' (2015) and 'ROSA' (2024), and translator of 'Pedaços de Uma Canção' (2026) by the poet Diane di Prima. Her performance 'THE POET IS PRESENT' was part of Festival Iminente in 2019. She is the director, writer and producer of the series 'PRISMA', in which she also stars.

International Shorts Competition

Margarida Moz

Short Film Programmer at IndieLisboa – International Film Festival and Director of Portugal Film – Portuguese Film Agency.
With a degree in Social Anthropology, she has worked in the film sector for more than 20 years, active in the fields of documentary research, film production and festival programming. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with several festivals in Portugal and taught Anthropology at higher education institutions in Lisbon.
Since 2013, she has been part of the short film programming team at IndieLisboa – International Film Festival. She is also one of the directors of Portugal Film – Portuguese Film Agency, the body responsible for the international promotion and representation of Portuguese cinema, contributing to its circulation and visibility among festivals, markets and professionals worldwide.
Ricardo Branco

Ricardo Branco (Amarante, 1992). He holds a degree in Literature from the Faculty of Arts of the University of Porto and a Master's in Cinema from the Faculty of Social and Human Sciences of Universidade Nova de Lisboa. In 2010 he published his first novel, Amor Combate. He has directed three films in an academic context, with significant festival circulation: 1500 premiered at BFI Flare 2016, the short documentary Fora de Campo premiered at the Cinemateca Portuguesa (2017), and the fiction short Rute received a Special Jury Mention at Queer Lisboa 2017. Rute was also shown in contemporary art galleries. His first feature, Nossos Ossos, in development, has been selected for Torino FilmLab and the Eave+ programme. Ricardo Branco works regularly as a screenwriter, script supervisor and assistant director. He is also creator and curator of the cultural festival Escrever nas Margens. In 2021 he was invited to join the jury of Queer Lisboa. In 2023, he directed a music video for Filipe Sambado's most recent work.
Sob Influência is his latest short film, which premiered at Frameline, in San Francisco, California, and was awarded best short film at the ShortCutz Festival. It also had its commercial release in more than 20 Portuguese cinemas, on 20 June 2024, as part of the Ovnis, Monstros e Utopias session. His films have been shown at international festivals around the world, including India, Brazil, the United States, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Ireland, among others.
Rita Nunes

Rita Nunes is a director, screenwriter and producer. A Cinema graduate from the Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema, she made her directorial debut in 1997 with the short film Menos Nove, recognised at several international festivals. Over more than two decades she has built a body of work crossing fiction and documentary, exploring contemporary social and political themes. Among her best-known works are Só Por Acaso, awarded the Prix Europa for Best TV Film, and Linhas Tortas, winner of the European Audience Award at the ARTE Kino Festival. Her most recent fiction feature, O Melhor dos Mundos, premiered at international festivals and in Portuguese cinemas in 2024, and can now be seen on HBO Max. She is currently developing a documentary about the Portuguese writer Lídia Jorge.