© Karolis Strautniekas / Folio
Next stop, the Cité du court!
Like a ship lifting its anchor, the poster for this new edition invites us to embark together toward new cinematic horizons. Cinema, like a journey, brings together passengers from elsewhere, carrying stories and dreams to be shared. Through this image, a spirit of adventure, discovery, and encounters comes to life, reminding us that each screening is a voyage into the unknown.
The figure is enough to make your head spin: 173,522 admissions. The 2025 edition will be remembered as an exceptional year: never before had we welcomed so many spectators. This record attendance speaks louder than any words about the attachment of the people of Clermont-Ferrand – and far beyond – to their festival. It reflects the trust of a loyal audience, as well as the ever-renewed curiosity of new generations of cinephiles. Through this success, it is the short film format that has been celebrated, in all its diversity, freedom, and boldness.
That same momentum was felt on the professional side. The 40th anniversary of the Short Film Market was marked by another record: the number of accredited participants from around the world (92 different nationalities on site), who came to exchange, debate, imagine, and shape the future of emerging cinema. Over four decades, the Market has established itself as one of the leading spaces for the artistic and economic circulation of international cinema. This vitality shows that Clermont-Ferrand is not just a place for screenings, but also a true crossroads for encounters, a hub of structuring and professionalization where the projects of tomorrow are conceived and built.
A festival and its market do not live by numbers alone, impressive as they may be. They thrive on their ability to welcome and nurture the imaginations of tomorrow. For over ten years, we have opened our theaters to immersive storytelling, with narratives that expand the language of cinema. After the creation of an XR competition at the Festival in 2024, 2025 saw the launch of the XR Pro corner within the Market. This space, dedicated to professionals, supports creators and producers as they explore new narrative territories and fosters artistic innovation.
This forward-looking spirit also takes shape in a project that is becoming increasingly tangible: the Cité du Court. The first sketches of this future venue, unveiled this year, marked a symbolic and exciting milestone. With the MU Architecture team and the support of our partners, we are working to bring to life a space that will bring together, under one roof, our efforts in dissemination, education, training, professionalization, and talent development. The Cité will embody the collective energy that has always driven Sauve qui peut le court métrage. We imagine this place as a common home: a space for the general public, offering new opportunities for discovery and wonder; a space for young audiences, where they can discover the richness and practice of cinema; and a space with facilities tailored to welcome professionals from all horizons, who will come to work, meet, and create together.
The Cité du Court, because it will be built with all those who bring it to life, must become a lasting tool serving cultural diversity and a catalyst for creative, intergenerational exchange. In light of these prospects, one truth becomes clear: Clermont-Ferrand is more than ever the world capital of short films, embodying the cinema of today and tomorrow.