Born in Vila Franca de Xira in 1992, Leonor Teles graduated in Film from the School of Theatre and Cinema in 2013 and completed a Master's degree in Audiovisual and Multimedia at the School of Communication and Media Studies in 2015.

In 2016, her debut short film, Balada de um Batráquio (Balada of a Frog), was awarded the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). The film also received the Firebird Award for Best Short Film at the Hong Kong International Film Festival and went on to have a commercial theatrical release in Portugal.

Agnes Meng, born in Beijing in 1991, is a documentary filmmaker based in Portugal. She graduated from the joint master’s programme DocNomads and is currently a PhD candidate in Media Arts at Lusófona University in Lisbon.

With a background in film, journalism and anthropology, Agnes has worked as an ethnographic research assistant in south-western China and the Tibetan region. Her current work focuses on cinema, folklore and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage.

Pedro Cabeleira was born in Entroncamento in 1992. In 2013, he graduated in Film Directing from the School of Theatre and Cinema. His graduation short film, Estranhamento, was screened at Fantasporto, La Cabina, Caminhos do Cinema Português and Shortcutz Lisboa.

His first feature film, Verão Danado (Damned Summer), released in 2017, premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, where it received a Special Mention in the Filmmakers of the Present section. It was also presented at the Mar del Plata, Torino and Cannes film festivals.

Born in Lisbon in 1990 and raised in Pontinha, on the city's outskirts, he holds a degree in Sound and Image from ESAD.CR and a joint Master's degree from the School of Theatre and Cinema (ESTC) and HEAD – Genève.

In 2018, he directed his first film, Bostofrio, Où le Ciel Rejoint la Terre (Bostofrio, Where the Sky Meets the Earth), which received multiple awards and was screened at more than 40 international film festivals worldwide. In 2019, it was acclaimed by critics and named one of the "10 Best Films of the Year" by the Portuguese newspaper Público.

Born in Lisbon in 1990 and raised in Pontinha, on the city's outskirts, he holds a degree in Sound and Image from ESAD.CR and a joint Master's degree from the School of Theatre and Cinema (ESTC) and HEAD – Genève.

In 2018, he directed his first film, Bostofrio, Où le Ciel Rejoint la Terre (Bostofrio, Where the Sky Meets the Earth), which received multiple awards and was screened at more than 40 international film festivals worldwide. In 2019, it was acclaimed by critics and named one of the "10 Best Films of the Year" by the Portuguese newspaper Público.

Of Indian, Pakistani and Hong Kong heritage, Fatema Abdoolcarim is a filmmaker and screenwriter. Trained as a photographer, she is self-taught in the use of DSLR cameras and voice as cinematic tools.

Her directorial debut was the essay documentary Heidi (2016), created during a filmmaking workshop led by Abbas Kiarostami. The film premiered at the Locarno Film Festival, was screened at Sundance and ZINEBI, and received the Best Debut Film award at the Cinalfama Film Festival in Lisbon.

After studying Literature and Film at the Sorbonne Nouvelle University, Florence Rochat turned to screenwriting and directing. She has developed several short film projects, including Poupées de Chair, co-directed with Serena Robin. The film was acquired by Canal+, selected for more than 80 international film festivals—including Clermont-Ferrand—and received the 1st Timers Award at the 2023 Cinalfama Film Festival.

João Paulo Miranda Maria was born in the countryside of São Paulo State, Brazil, in 1982. He studied Film in Rio de Janeiro and later completed a Master's degree in Multimedia at UNICAMP (University of Campinas).

Drawing on his research, he founded the Kino-Olho collective and developed a distinctive filmmaking approach that he describes as "Cinema Caipira" ("Country Cinema"). In 2015, he directed his first short film, Command Action, which premiered at the Critics' Week of the Cannes Film Festival.

João Gomes graduated in Editing and Directing from the School of Theatre and Cinema (ESTC) and holds a degree in Sociology from NOVA University Lisbon (UNL). Since 2011, he has written, directed and produced more than a dozen film and audiovisual works.

Among his most notable works are Couto Mixto (2023), a short film that received five awards and was widely screened at international festivals, and Noite de Santo António (2015), his master's graduation film, which earned him honours upon completion of his degree and was selected for several international festivals.

Gabriela graduated from the António Arroio School of Arts with a dual secondary-school diploma in Graphic Design. She later earned a degree in Art History from NOVA University Lisbon. At the age of 20, she moved to London, where she completed a Master's degree in Filmmaking at the London Film School, graduating with Distinction.

Gabriela graduated from the António Arroio School of Arts with a dual secondary-school diploma in Graphic Design. She later earned a BA in Art History from NOVA University Lisbon. At the age of 20, she moved to London, where she completed an MA in Filmmaking at the London Film School, graduating with Distinction.

Born in 1991, Marta studied Film Directing at the School of Theatre and Cinema (ESTC), completing her bachelor's degree at FAMU in Prague. She later spent a year studying Animation at the Atelier de Sèvres in Paris before completing a Master's degree in Animation at the Royal College of Art in London.

Her debut film, Come to Me, was selected for festivals around the world, while her graduation film, The Village Game, was shortlisted for a BAFTA Student Film Award.

Diogo is a screenwriter, playwright and producer. After graduating from the School of Theatre and Cinema (ESTC) in 2013, he co-wrote the short film By Flávio, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), both seasons of the television series Três Mulheres, nominated for the PRIX Europa and the SPA Awards, and O Labirinto da Saudade, winner of the Sophia Award for Best Documentary.

In 2020, he was selected for the Cannes Series Unlimited residency.

Diogo is a screenwriter, playwright and producer. After graduating from the School of Theatre and Cinema (ESTC) in 2013, he co-wrote the short film By Flávio, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), both seasons of the television series Três Mulheres, nominated for the PRIX Europa and the SPA Awards, and the documentary O Labirinto da Saudade, winner of the Sophia Award for Best Documentary.

In 2020, he was selected for the Cannes Series Unlimited residency.

Duván Duque Vargas is a Colombian writer and filmmaker. His most recent short film, Todo Incluido (All-Inclusive), premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in 2022 and has since been selected for more than 70 film festivals worldwide, including Clermont-Ferrand, Havana and Palm Springs. The film has received over 20 awards, including an Academy Award® qualifying prize at the Aspen Shortsfest, as well as awards at Bogoshorts, Guanajuato, Versión Española, Huelva and HollyShorts.

His previous works include Masmelos (2019) and Fuck It (2016).

Mariame N'Diaye is a French actress and filmmaker. After studying theatre in Paris, she began working in film in the early 2000s, portraying a wide range of characters—from a lawyer and a waitress to a child soldier—in both French and international productions.

In 2019, she began writing the screenplay for her first film, Langue Maternelle (Mother Tongue), in which she also plays the lead role.