"A Hora do Chico" Marks MOTELX's 20th Edition with National Award
Produced in an academic context, the work by two Lusófona University alumni wins the country's leading award for horror short films
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The short film directed by João Severo and Rafael Sá Carneiro won the award for Best Portuguese Horror Short Film at the 20th edition of MOTELX
The award presented to the directors and alumni of Lusófona University includes a prize of five thousand euros, the largest monetary award for short films in the country.
The jury, comprising Fernando Vasquez, José Santiago and Sandra Henriques, highlighted the ambition and maturity of the work, describing it as an unsettling journey through a past that becomes intertwined with an alternative reality.
Produced in 2025 as part of an academic project, the film follows the story of Chico Valentim and his dilemma between committing a murder live on air or losing his father's approval.
The work stood out among ten productions competing at the festival, which took place in Lisbon from 3 to 13 September. As the country's leading festival dedicated to genre cinema and one of the most prominent events on Lisbon's cultural calendar, MOTELX serves as a key platform for the development and promotion of audiovisual production in Portugal.
The recognition of "A Hora do Chico!" reflects the journey of students from the Department of Film and Media Arts and reinforces the support provided by the teaching staff throughout the audiovisual creation and production processes.
