Festival du Court-Métrage de Soulac
Short Film Festival in Soulac-sur-Mer
2026
About Court-Métrage Soulac
Every year, the Ciné en Courts National Festival brings together self-produced short films at the Océanic cinema in Soulac-sur-Mer. These films are selected from the eight regional competitions organized by CinéAmat France, formerly known as the French Federation of Cinema and Video. Fictions, documentaries, reports, animations, one-minute films, and experimental works are screened before a jury over three days, culminating in an awards ceremony on Sunday morning.
Court-Métrage Soulac — edition 2026
The 86th edition of the national Ciné en Courts festival takes place from Thursday, September 24th to Sunday, September 27th, 2026, at the Océanic cinema in Soulac-sur-Mer. CinéAmat France, formerly the French Federation of Cinema and Video, will screen 70 self-produced short films selected from competitions across eight regional unions, covering fiction, documentary, reportage, animation, one-minute films, and free expression. The jury is chaired by screenwriter and director Frédéric Martin, with the awards ceremony held on Sunday morning.
2026 Edition
Screenings begin on Thursday, September 24th at 9:00 PM and conclude on Saturday, September 26th in the evening. Six sessions will be held at the Océanic cinema, located at 68 rue de la Plage: one on Thursday evening, three on Friday (morning, afternoon, evening), and two on Saturday (morning, afternoon). Following the welcome, jury presentation, and speeches by the mayor and Aure Atika, the first session kicks off with a non-competitive film, La Belle Époque des bains de mer by Jules Lambert.
The Competition
70 films are competing across six categories: fiction, documentary, reportage, animation, one-minute films, and free expression. These entries come from clubs within the eight regional unions of CinéAmat France, which held their own competitions between late March and early June. Three "3 minutes in the frame" sequences are interspersed throughout the program on Friday morning, Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning.
The 2026 Jury
Frédéric Martin chairs the jury for this 86th edition. A screenwriter, author, and television director for thirty years, he is the showrunner of the docu-fiction series Notre histoire de France, broadcast on France 2. Joining him are independent journalist and guest juror Irène Lopez, along with three federation members: Nicole Bost (Region 1), Emmanuel Dubois (Region 6), and Guy Lombardi (Region 8).
Gala Dinner and Awards
The gala dinner will be held on Saturday, September 26th in the evening at the Palais des Congrès in Soulac-sur-Mer (registration required, €39). The awards ceremony takes place on the morning of Sunday, September 27th, with the event concluding at 1:00 PM. The jury, assisted by two CinéAmat members, will also select the films that will represent France at the UNICA meetings.
Highlights Court-Métrage Soulac 2026
- Thursday, September 24th at 9:00 PM: Opening, jury presentation, and speeches by the mayor and Aure Atika
- 70 short films in competition across six sessions, from Thursday evening to Saturday evening
- Jury chaired by Frédéric Martin, showrunner of Notre histoire de France (France 2)
- Three "3 minutes in the frame" sequences on Friday morning, Friday afternoon, and Saturday morning
- Saturday, September 26th in the evening: Gala dinner at the Palais des Congrès, registration required (€39)
- Sunday, September 27th in the morning: Awards ceremony, ending at 1:00 PM
Programme Court-Métrage Soulac 2026
Official screening program published by CinéAmat France, updated on July 21, 2026. All sessions take place at the Océanic cinema, 68 rue de la Plage.
Thursday, September 24, 2026 — Opening Night
- 9:00 PM — Ciné en Courts opening credits, program trailer, and acknowledgments
- 9:05 PM — Welcome, jury presentation, and speeches by the mayor and Aure Atika
- 9:20 PM — La Belle Époque des bains de mer — Jules Lambert · non-competitive (10 min 43)
- 9:32 PM — 1. L'Horloger et son équation du temps — Bertin and Francine Sterckman · LMCV · documentary (18 min 30)
- 9:53 PM — 2. Ballade onirique — Chloé Villeneuve · ESAD Orléans · animation (5 min 20)
- 10:00 PM — 3. Le Siffleur — Collective · 25e Image Royan · fiction (9 min 26)
- 10:11 PM — 4. Making ouf — Gérard Dejoux · UAICF Paris Saint-Lazare · one-minute film (1 min)
- 10:13 PM — Clip and 30-minute break
- 10:44 PM — 5. Baie d'Along — Clément Lièvre · Vidéo Club Cessonnais · reportage (9 min 14)
- 10:55 PM — 6. Les Padoués en action — Institut des Sourds · Malgrange · animation (6 min 52)
- 11:04 PM — 7. Fin de partie — Pierre-Jean Bascunana · Films et Toiles · fiction (14 min 54)
- 11:21 PM — 8. Que dit la météo — Anne Sigwalt · Caméra Club d'Annecy · free expression (4 min 30)
- 11:27 PM — Session closing clip
Friday, September 25, 2026 — Morning
- 9:00 AM — Credits, program trailer, and presentation
- 9:09 AM — 9. Claude Aubineau, collectionneur et historien des commerces — Jean-Pierre Sellier · Caméra Club Rochelais · documentary (16 min 25)
- 9:27 AM — 10. Gravé dans la peau — Caroline Mennereau · individual · fiction (2 min 20)
- 9:31 AM — 11. Trois, c'est non négociable — Marine Chereau · Ciné Vidéo Nantes Atlantique · free expression (5 min 37)
- 9:39 AM — 12. D-Tour — Francis Lalau · LMCV · reportage (10 min 40)
- 9:52 AM — 13. Sloane — Daniel Payard · Orléans Image · fiction (19 min 31)
- 10:13 AM — 3 minutes in the frame — sequence 1 (10 min)
- 10:23 AM — Clip and 40-minute break
- 11:03 AM — 14. Potosi, au cœur de l'enfer — Christian Drevet · Cineal Lyon · documentary (24 min 25)
- 11:30 AM — 15. Hélène — Daniel Renault · APT en Vidéo · fiction (5 min 3)
- 11:37 AM — 16. Liens — Manon Lambourg · ESAD Orléans · free expression (1 min 43)
- 11:40 AM — 17. Maintenant tout va bien — Camille Ehret · Club Exincourt · fiction (14 min 29)
- 11:57 AM — 18. Partir a volo — Olivier Tassi · Caméra Club Vairois · one-minute film (43 s)
- 11:59 AM — Clip and lunch break
Friday, September 25, 2026 — Afternoon
- 2:00 PM — Credits, UNICA 2027 promotion, and presentation
- 2:04 PM — 19. Le Musée Faure — Pierre Charbonneau · Quatra · reportage (16 min 48)
- 2:22 PM — 20. Le Migrant — Philippe Olliero · Vidéo Club Cessonnais · fiction (6 min 35)
- 2:31 PM — 21. Une vie à Vigeland — Jean-Pierre Droillard · CCC Cannes · documentary (8 min 19)
- 2:41 PM — 22. Origine — Aline de Bongnie · LMCV · animation (17 min 4)
- 3:00 PM — 23. Abrivado — Luis Neto · Caméra Club du Chesnay · free expression (6 min 14)
- 3:09 PM — 24. Karma — Stéphane Fort · CNC Lorraine · fiction (16 min 16)
- 3:27 PM — Clip and 45-minute break
- 4:12 PM — 25. Solange — Aldo Vagnotti · Caméra Club d'Annecy · documentary (12 min)
- 4:26 PM — 26. Fuir — Allain Ripeau · Caméra Club Rochelais · animation (4 min 20)
- 4:32 PM — 27. Innocentes — Aurélie Tripault · Orléans Image · fiction (7 min 59)
- 4:42 PM — 28. Pour que les Sénégalais nourrissent les Sénégalais — Alexandrine Farhi · Club Audiovisuel du Bouchet · reportage (8 min 11)
- 4:52 PM — 29. Vive la vie — Oksana Zazuliak · Caméra Club Rochelais · free expression (6 min 6)
- 5:01 PM — 30. Bienvenue — Benjamine Achiba · UCAH · fiction (4 min 23)
- 5:07 PM — 3 minutes in the frame — sequence 2 (10 min)
- 5:17 PM — Clip and 45-minute break
- 6:02 PM — 31. Les Acrobates de l'impossible — Jean-Claude Michineau · CIV Vanves · reportage (10 min 16)
- 6:14 PM — 32. D'une voix étranglée — Gérard Diebold · ACV Clermont-Ferrand · fiction (5 min 17)
- 6:22 PM — 33. Petit point — Antonin Degoutte Vesperini · ESAD Orléans · animation (1 min 26)
- 6:25 PM — 34. Chameau ou dromadaire — Robert Di Popolo · APT en Vidéo · documentary (11 min 55)
- 6:39 PM — 35. Dernière lueur — Richard Perez · La Baule Images · fiction (15 min 30)
- 6:56 PM — Session closing clip, dinner break
Friday, September 25, 2026 — Evening
- 9:00 PM — Credits and presentation
- 9:02 PM — 36. Le Piège — Dominique Dazun · CVMARC Compiègne · fiction (10 min 40)
- 9:15 PM — 37. Quelques grammes… ça vole — Jacques Tusseau · 3e Œil Angers · reportage (7 min 9)
- 9:24 PM — 38. Le Japon en lumière — Patrick Lanza · AAIS · free expression (2 min 39)
- 9:28 PM — 39. Dans l'ombre du félin — Christian Grelard · Créatif Ciné Photo · documentary (14 min 17)
- 9:45 PM — 40. Fred — Robert Banq · Vidéo Saint Pierre · fiction (2 min 47)
- 9:50 PM — 41. Ne pas toucher — Jacqueline Baudinat · Créaction · documentary (13 min 35)
- 10:05 PM — 42. Jardins familiaux — Joël Sentenac · Cinéma Vivant Vidéo Tarbes · reportage (11 min 28)
- 10:19 PM — 43. Game over — Gérard Benavent · Imagine'31 Toulouse · one-minute film (1 min 3)
- 10:21 PM — Session closing clip
Saturday, September 26, 2026 — Morning
- 9:00 AM — Credits, program trailer, and presentation
- 9:00 AM — 44. Duo pour une pluie de roses — Bertin and Francine Sterckman · LMCV · documentary (15 min 30)
- 9:17 AM — 45. Label rouge — André Etienne · Orléans Image · fiction (3 min 10)
- 9:22 AM — 46. Récupérer la terre — Michèje and Jean-Luc Jarousseau · Ciné Vidéo Nantes Atlantique · reportage (12 min)
- 9:36 AM — 47. La Déclaration — Nadine Herleaux · CVMARC Compiègne · one-minute film (1 min)
- 9:38 AM — 48. La Mélancolie des poussières — Stéphane Hacin · CNC Lorraine · fiction (25 min 5)
- 10:05 AM — 3 minutes in the frame — sequence 3 (10 min)
- 10:15 AM — Clip and 45-minute break
- 11:00 AM — 49. Le Cinéma de mon père — François Luce · independent · documentary (15 min 47)
- 11:18 AM — 50. Le Poing de la raison — Serge Crozon · ESFCA · fiction (24 min 40)
- 11:45 AM — 51. El Puro — Jules Lambert · Tonton & Cie · reportage (5 min 36)
- 11:52 AM — 52. Cascade source de vie — Gérard Bonnevalle · Caméra Club du Chesnay · one-minute film (1 min)
- 11:54 AM — 53. Hors de portée — Martine Thibaut and Danièle Calen · Caméra Club Bressan · reportage (4 min 6)
- 12:01 PM — Clip and lunch break
Saturday, September 26, 2026 — Afternoon
- 2:00 PM — Credits, presentation, and UNICA 2027 promotion
- 2:03 PM — 54. L'Outil en main — Yannick Freboeuf · Cinéastes Amateurs Vihiersois · documentary (11 min 18)
- 2:17 PM — 55. Le Carnet — Gérard Corporon · UAICF Sète · fiction (17 min 23)
- 2:36 PM — 56. Esther, la sculpture à la chaîne — Christophe Le Squer · Ciné Vidéo Nantes Atlantique · reportage (9 min 36)
- 2:48 PM — 57. L'Échapée belle — José Joubert · Arrêt sur Image · fiction (17 min 30)
- 3:07 PM — 58. Voulez-vous une tasse de thé ? — Josette Bardy · CIV Vanves · reportage (13 min 42)
- 3:23 PM — Clip and 30-minute break
- 3:53 PM — 59. Declic à Rome — Daniel Renault · APT en Vidéo · fiction (25 min 3)
- 4:20 PM — 60. Le Dernier Vol de Lila — Georges Caron · Caméra Club d'Annecy · reportage (4 min 14)
- 4:26 PM — 61. Sanctuaire pour éléphants — Marie Hénaff · Caméra Club Rochelais · documentary (11 min 27)
- 4:40 PM — 62. À tour de rôle — Robin Viale · Eduk'Image · fiction (4 min 21)
- 4:46 PM — 63. L'Archarné du rond — Martine Dronval · 25e Image Royan · one-minute film (1 min)
- 4:47 PM — Clip and 30-minute break
- 5:17 PM — 64. Le Vent souffle vers l'est — Philip Malca · AAIS · documentary (15 min 13)
- 5:34 PM — 65. Un souvenir à 3 balles — Jean-Philippe Metifiot · Créaction · fiction (10 min 40)
- 5:47 PM — 66. Chien ou chat — Bruno Axelrad · Ciné Maurienne · one-minute film (1 min)
- 5:50 PM — 67. Villa Arnaga — Bertin and Francine Sterckman · LMCV · reportage (12 min 30)
- 6:05 PM — 68. Quand l'écriture nous raconte son histoire — Frédéric Ciller · V2C Saint-Gervasy · reportage (6 min 5)
- 6:13 PM — 69. Vietnam, au fil des savoirs — Jean-Michel Qinton · Vidéo Club Cessonnais · documentary (11 min 18)
- 6:26 PM — 70. Felix — Jean-Paul Garré · Caméra Club Rochelais · reportage (14 min 5)
- 6:40 PM — Screening closing clip
Saturday, September 26, 2026 — Evening
- Gala dinner at the Palais des Congrès in Soulac-sur-Mer, registration required (€39)
Sunday, September 27, 2026 — Morning
- Awards ceremony and announcement of winners. Event ends at 1:00 PM.
Prices Court-Métrage Soulac 2026
Competition entry: Free for authors, registration from July 10th to September 5th, 2026.
Closing dinner on Saturday, September 26th: €39, registration required.
Raffle: €10 for a book of 10 tickets, €20 for two books, €30 for three.
Practical information — Court-Métrage Soulac
Access
Cinéma Océanic, Palais des Congrès, 68 rue de la Plage, 33780 Soulac-sur-Mer. Cinema phone number: 05 56 09 85 04.
Organization
CinéAmat France (formerly FFCV), 117 rue de Charenton, 75012 Paris. Phone: 01 43 40 81 62. Email: [email protected]. The festival can also be followed on Facebook (facebook.com/cineamat) and Instagram (instagram.com/cineamat_france).
Author registration
Films must first pass through their regional union competition. Registration for the national festival is then completed via the federation's AssoConnect platform and is free of charge. The closing dinner and raffle are optional and require payment.
The national gathering for amateur short films
CinéAmat France, founded in 1933 as the French Federation of Cinema and Video, brings together around 1,000 members across nearly 100 clubs and eight regional unions. It has been recognized as a public utility organization since 2007 and is a member of UNICA, the International Union of Amateur Cinema. Its national competition, Ciné en Courts, takes place in late September in Soulac-sur-Mer.
How a film reaches Soulac
The journey begins in local clubs. Each region holds its competition between late March and early June, and the selected films form the delegation presented at the national festival. In Soulac, they are screened at the Océanic cinema and judged by a panel consisting of film professionals and federation members. Award-winning films may then go on to represent France at the UNICA meetings, provided they are subtitled in English.
The venue
Screenings are held at the Océanic cinema, located in the Palais des Congrès at 68 rue de la Plage. The town of Soulac-sur-Mer, the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, and Médoc Atlantique Tourisme are among the festival's partners.
Where does it take place — Court-Métrage Soulac
Court-Métrage Soulac in brief
History of Court-Métrage Soulac
Edition 2025 Jul 2025Other festivals near Soulac-sur-Mer
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