Among the selected films, 16 are National premieres. Lo demás es ruido, by Nicolás Pereda, is also featured at the festival and is part of the Feature Film Competition.

In 2026, HaHaArt received 429 submissions, including short and feature-length films. The 37 films in competition represent 23 different countries , including Iran, Romania, Egypt, Mexico, and Singapore, with half of the films making their national debut at the HaHaArt Film Festival.

The selection of short films features a strong international presence, featuring standout performances. Among the titles in competition are The End, by Niki Lindroth von Bahr, selected for the Official Short Film Competition at Cannes in 2026; Skinny Bottines, by Romain F. Dubois, making its national debut after winning the Sony Discovery Award for Best Short Film at Cannes’ Semaine de la Critique; and No Skate!, by returning filmmaker Guil Sela, also featured at the Semaine de la Critique. Also included are Pirateland, by Stavros Petropoulos, which has screened at Clermont-Ferrand and Tribeca; and Auntie Lica the Hunchback, by Paul-Răzvan Macovei, which had its world premiere at Clermont-Ferrand and is now premiering in Portugal.

The Portuguese presence It stands out in particular, with eight films in competition and a group of filmmakers who explore comedy through very different styles. Both have an international track record that includes the Cannes Official Short Film Competition, A Few Things Happening By a River, by Daniel Soares, and Arguments in Favor of Love, by Gabriel Abrantes, are two of the Portuguese entries in the competition.

HaHaArt’s commitment to Portuguese cinema also extends to the new Official Feature Film Competition, featuring Black Sunglasses, by Pedro Ramalhete, is among the four selected titles. The competition also includes the latest film by the Mexican director Nicolás Pereda, one of the most distinctive figures in contemporary auteur cinema. The Rest Is Noise had its world premiere at the 2026 Berlinale.

This year, the selection shares a common thread in its tendency toward absurdist comedy, deadpan humor, and a dark humor that is often dry and disconcerting.

The rest of the program will be announced in the coming weeks.