MAIAIFF – Maia International Film Festival

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Welcome to the third edition of the Maia International Film Festival! This edition, we are honoured to welcome as special guests the filmmakers Ali Asgari and Pourya Pour, whose cinematic vision continues to challenge and inspire audiences worldwide. Don’t miss this celebration of cinema at MAIAIFF – Maia International Film Festival. This year it’s going to be a special edition for all movies will have free entry as well as the dedicated session for children!

The festival

On April 29th, we were joined by the actors: Henrique Mello; Joana Cravo; Susana Blazer. And on May 2nd, in the MovieTalks, we welcomed: Ângelo Rodrigues; Carolina Amaral; Ivo Arroja; Pedro Giestas and Pedro Lacerda. The jury for this edition is composed of: Álvaro Gago, Mariana Figueiroa, Raf Vilar, Tânia Dinis, and Tiago Vieira da Silva, tasked with evaluating and awarding the highlights of this unique programme.

01.may

PORTUGUESE PREMIERE | Official Competition 2026 | 01.05 — 11h00

Hell In Paradise

Nina takes a job at a hotel in the Maldives, but her paradise island turns into a nightmare after an incident. Falsely accused, she must navigate traps to escape an unjust life sentence

Directed by LEÏLA SY
102 MIN · DRAMA/THRILLER
FR · 2025

PORTUGUESE PREMIERE | Official Competition 2026 | 01.05 — 14h15

Goodbye Sisters

Two Nepali sisters leave Kathmandu to harvest the valuable yarsagumba in their mountain village. Jamuna hopes that selling this rare fungus-insect hybrid will help support her family and fund studies abroad.

Directed by Alexander Murphy
90 min · DOC
FR/NP · 2025

PORTUGUESE PREMIERE | Official Competition 2026 | 01.05 — 16h15

A Light That Never Goes Out

The successful classical flutist Pauli returns to his small hometown after a breakdown. Reconnecting with his former schoolmate Iiris, he becomes drawn to experimental music.

Directed by Lauri-Matti Parppeii
108 min · COMEDY/DRAMA
NO/FI · 2025

PORTUGUESE PREMIERE | Official Competition 2026 | 01.05 — 18h30

Nomad Shadow

A young Sahrawi woman faces deportation to Western Sahara, struggling to readjust to her homeland and confront family tensions sparked by her earlier departure.

Directed by Eimi Imanishi
82 min · COMEDY/DRAMA
US/ES/FR· 2025

WORLD PREMIER | Special Screening + Q&A with POURYA POUR | 01.05 — 21h30

Influenca: Controlling Crowds

A selfish Influencer and her clumsy Fan Girl/Assistant start an odd relationship that becomes more grotesque day by day.

Directed by Pourya Pour
82 min · drama/mystery/thriller
DE · 2026

PORTUGUESE PREMIERE | Official Competition 2026 | 01.05 — 23h45

Maria

Maria is accused of the death of her husband, Viktor, and decides to confess only after the funeral. The investigator, engaged to the couple’s daughter, uncovers the truth and understands why she chose to punish herself.

Directed by Yakov Sivchenko
73 MIN · DRAMA
RU · 2025

AWARDS AND HONORABLE MENTION 2025

GOLD EAR OF WHEAT – 1st Place

MA - Cry of Silence (MM)

Mi-Thet, a young Burmese woman who works in a garment factory, faces an urgent strike organized by her colleagues, which reminds her of her deep trauma. By learning about the recent history of her country, she decides to act.

Director | The Maw Naing

SILVER EAR OF WHEAT – 2nd Place

The Hyperboreans (CL)

A woman’s storytelling and illusions bring to life the controversial figure of Miguel Serrano, a Chilean writer who propagated esoteric Neo-Nazi philosophies, prompting contemplation about his place in history.

Director | Cristóbal León & Joaquín Cociña

BRONZE EAR OF WHEAT – 3rd Place

Moon (AT)

Sarah, a former mixed martial artist from Vienna, takes up the offer to work as a personal trainer for the three daughters of a wealthy family in the Middle East. In a palace surrounded by walls, with no internet access and constant surveillance on the sisters, Sara finds that they are not really interested in boxing training. The question is, why was Sara brought here?

Director | Kurdwin Ayub

HONORABLE MENTION

Kino (DE)

An observation of daily life from the perspective of a cinema employee together with the imagination and power of cinema.

Director | Pourya Pour

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