IndieLisboa - International Film Festival

What IndieLisboa - International Film Festival does

IndieLisboa – Associação Cultural is a Lisbon-based non-profit cultural association that produces one of Portugal's principal international independent film festivals, held annually over approximately ten days in late April through early May. The 23rd edition (30 April – 10 May 2026) attracted over 37,000 participants and screened 241 films across eight cinema venues in Lisbon, making it one of the strongest editions in the festival's 23-year history. The festival serves four primary constituencies: general cinephiles seeking independent and auteur films outside mainstream distribution, school groups from infancy through university (via IndieJúnior), film industry professionals (filmmakers, sales agents, distributors, programmers), and international buyers invited through the Industry program.

IndieLisboa operates as a multi-program platform spanning six sub-brands: IndieJúnior (children and family programming segmented by age band), Industry (Lisbon Screenings, Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema post-production fund, IndieLisboa Lab, LisbonTalks), IndiebyNight (concerts and nightlife programming), Cineclube (year-round film literacy, workshops, and educational programming), and This is Short — a streaming platform launched November 2023 in partnership with the European Short Film Network that distributes curated short films from approximately 30 countries at €0.99/month or €9.99/year subscriptions. The association has developed IndieApp, a progressive web app launched May 2024 that provides mobile access to programming, ticket purchasing, and audience voting for films in competition. Underlying technology is primarily event-driven and lightweight; no proprietary AI/ML capabilities, advanced data assets, or third-party integrations are disclosed.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining per-screen ticket sales and early-bird voucher booklets, per-student school session registrations, This is Short subscriptions, and substantial institutional and corporate support. Institutional partners include the Portuguese government (Ministério da Cultura), Lisbon City Council (Câmara Municipal de Lisboa) via EGEAC, ICA (Instituto do Cinema e Audiovisual), and the European Commission. Corporate sponsors and media partners (EMEL, TVCine, RTP, Sapo, Fundação La Caixa, Fundação MEO) provide additional financial and in-kind contributions. The organization operates with approximately 30 employees under a board of directors (Carlos Ramos, Miguel Valverde, Pedro Pereira, Rosária Vale for the association; Carlos Ramos and Susana Santos Rodrigues for the festival directorate), is structured as an independent non-profit, and reports no parent company, external equity, or M&A activity.

Name

IndieLisboa - International Film Festival

Legal name

INDIELISBOA – ASSOCIAÇÃO CULTURAL

Website

https://indielisboa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IndieLisboa is a Lisbon-based non-profit cultural association that runs an annual international independent film festival, complemented by year-round educational programming, industry support services, and a short-film streaming platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival / Cultural Events

NAICS

Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Distribution (7822)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYMPADAKAB

Independent & Art-house Cinemas

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYMPADAKAI

Campus & Educational Screenings (Universities, Schools)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

Keywords

• International film festival
• Independent cinema programming
• Arthouse film distribution
• Short film streaming
• Film industry events

Headquarters

HQ city

Lisbon

HQ country

Portugal

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The festival sells individual tickets and early-bird voucher booklets (10 tickets) for screenings across partnered cinema venues.
2. This is Short Subscription: A year-round streaming service offering curated short films from festivals, with subscription tiers at €0.99/month or €9.99/year.
3. Sponsorship & Partnerships: The festival receives financial and in-kind support from institutional partners (Portugal government, Lisbon City Council, ICA, European Commission), sponsors (EMEL, TVCine), media partners (RTP, Sapo), and accessibility patrons (Fundação MEO).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

IndieLisboa organizes an annual international film festival in Lisbon showcasing 200+ independent, arthouse, and auteur films across competitive and non-competitive sections, complemented by dedicated children's cinema programming (IndieJúnior), industry support activities for Portuguese filmmakers (Lisbon Screenings, Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema, IndieLisboa Lab), educational workshops and film literacy programs (Cineclube), evening concerts and parties (IndiebyNight), and the year-round "This is Short" streaming platform for curated short films from ~30 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• THIS IS SHORT: Year-round streaming platform for curated short films from around 30 countries, managed by European Short Film Network including Vienna Shorts, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, Go Short Festival, 25 FPS Festival, IndieLisboa, and Uppsala Kortfilmfestival. Subscription plans from €0.99/month or €9.99/year.

Products and services

• IndieLisboa International Film Festival Annual in-person film festival held in Lisbon (late April/early May) screening 200+ independent, arthouse, and auteur films across competitive (international, national) and non-competitive (retrospectives, director's cuts, genre sections) programming. Tickets sold per screening and as early-bird voucher booklets of 10 tickets. The 23rd edition (2026) drew 37,000+ participants across 8 cinema venues.
• IndieJúnior Children's and family film programming as a dedicated section of IndieLisboa, presenting films organized by age group (+3, +6, +9, +12, +15, and Cinema de Colo for babies 4-30 months). Includes post-screening discussions, workshops, school registration programs, and educational activities for creches, preschools, primary, and secondary schools.
• Industry Program (Lisbon Screenings, Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema, IndieLisboa Lab, LisbonTalks) Industry-facing program for film professionals offering: Lisbon Screenings (presenting Portuguese films to international sales agents, distributors, and festival programmers since 2006); Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema (Portuguese Film Fund, since 2011, providing post-production support including up to €6,000 in prizes); IndieLisboa Lab (mentorship and project development workshop); and LisbonTalks (networking events). 12 film projects selected annually, with 30% quota reserved for low-budget productions.
• This is Short Streaming Platform Year-round streaming platform for curated short films from acclaimed festivals worldwide, featuring films from approximately 30 countries with regular additions. Subscription tiers at €0.99/month or €9.99/year. Managed by the European Short Film Network comprising six festivals (Vienna Shorts, Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, Go Short, 25 FPS, IndieLisboa, Uppsala Kortfilmfestival).
• IndiebyNight Evening concerts and parties program running alongside the IndieLisboa festival, providing music and social events for festival attendees and the broader Lisbon cultural scene.
• Cineclube – Expansão e Educação Year-round educational programming including Cinema à Medida (curated film sessions), Clube do Espectador (viewer club), Workshops, and Nextus (documentary education initiative), offering film literacy and cultural programming beyond the annual festival period.
• IndieApp (Progressive Web App) Progressive Web App (PWA) for the IndieLisboa festival, allowing users to access festival programming, purchase tickets, and vote online for films in competition directly from their mobile devices. Available via install.page/indielisboa.

Quantifiable outcome

• 37,000+ participants at 2026 edition (third best edition ever); 40 sold-out sessions; 241 films screened across 8 venues
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

22 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Portugal FilmmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Created in 2015 to internationalize Portuguese cinema. Runs Lisbon Screenings during IndieLisboa, inviting international buyers, sales agents, and festival programmers to view Portuguese films.
• Governo de Portugal / Ministério da CulturacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInstitutional partner providing government support and funding for the festival. Part of the digital strategy of the European Commission.
• ICA - Instituto do Cinema e AudiovisualcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPortuguese governmental body for cinema and audiovisual, providing institutional support and funding.
• Câmara Municipal de LisboacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLisbon City Council as institutional partner, including via EGEAC (Lisboa Cultura brand) for cultural support.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union institutional support for the festival.
• Cinema São JorgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner and main cinema venue hosting festival screenings including opening and closing ceremonies.
• Cinemateca PortuguesacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner and cinema venue partner for festival screenings, including retrospectives and special events.
• CulturgestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-production partner and venue hosting festival screenings and closing ceremony.
• Cinema IdealcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProgramming partner venue hosting festival screenings and award-winner encore screenings post-festival.
• Cinema Fernando LopescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProgramming partner venue for festival screenings.
• Universidade LusófonamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema, providing €1,500 financial support to a documentary project under FilmEU+ and C-Accelerate+ programs. Also provides programming partner via DCAM (Escola Superior de Comunicação).
• Portugal Film - Agência Internacional de Cinema PortuguêsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema and Lisbon Screenings, promoting Portuguese films to international buyers, sales agents, and festival programmers since 2015.
• dmix collectivemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema, providing post-production sound services for one feature and one short film annually.
• Fundação GDAmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema, awarding €6,000 for original music creation, split between a feature (€4,000) and a short film (€2,000).
• Bertini ColorsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPost-production image studio partner in Fundo de Apoio ao Cinema, providing 2 days of color correction room and colorist work for a short film.
• EMELminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor providing free GIRA bike vouchers to early-bird ticket booklet purchasers and supporting sustainable transport to festival venues.
• TVCineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsor and programming partner. Awards the TVCine Prize for Best Feature Film in the National Competition (€5,000).
• Fundação La CaixaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupport partner for the festival with funding contributions.
• Fundação MEOminorGTM or Marketing PartnerAccessibility patron providing support to enhance accessibility features at the festival.
• RTP - Rádio e Televisão de PortugalmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMedia partner including RTP, Antena 1, Antena 2, and Antena 3 channels, providing broadcast and digital media coverage.
• SapominorGTM or Marketing PartnerDigital media partner providing online coverage.
• European Short Film NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of six festivals (Vienna Shorts, Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, Go Short Festival, 25 FPS Festival, IndieLisboa, Uppsala Kortfilmfestival) that jointly operate the This is Short streaming platform.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• BFI London Film Festival: Larger, broader-programming UK festival operated by the British Film Institute. Overlaps in arthouse and industry programming but at significantly larger scale.
• Cannes Film Festival (incl. Directors' Fortnight, Critics' Week): Global flagship film festival whose parallel sections (Directors' Fortnight, Critics' Week, Marché du Film) compete for the same filmmakers and indie film premieres that IndieLisboa curates.

Direct peers

• Locarno Film Festival: Switzerland's flagship independent and auteur film festival, similar in its curation of arthouse and emerging-cinema programming, with comparable audience scale and public-institutional funding model.
• Thessaloniki International Film Festival: Southern European festival with arthouse and industry components, including Agora film market. Comparable as a regional European indie festival with public funding.
• International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR): Largest Dutch independent film festival with strong Industry (CineMart, Rotterdam Lab) and year-round programs. Most direct comparable in scale and positioning as a European indie film festival with both audience and industry components.
• San Sebastián International Film Festival: Iberian neighbor festival with strong institutional backing, auteur focus, and industry programs (Iberoamerican Cinema, Europe-Latin America Co-Production Forum). Comparable in Iberian/European positioning.
• Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen: European Short Film Network partner and one of the oldest short film festivals globally. Comparable as a curated short-film festival with industry/distribution crossover.
• Vienna Shorts: Fellow member of the European Short Film Network and co-operator of the This is Short platform. Directly comparable as a short-film-specialist festival with year-round digital ambitions.
• Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: Central European A-list independent film festival comparable in scope, with a dedicated industry section (Eastern Promises) and parallel industry events akin to Lisbon Screenings.

Regional players

• Fantasporto: Portugal's other major international film festival, based in Porto. Overlaps in Portuguese independent cinema programming and competes for the same national filmmaker pipeline, including Portuguese cinema industry programs.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/indielisboaiff
• YouTubeyoutube.com/indielisboa
• Instagraminstagram.com/indielisboa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/indielisboa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about IndieLisboa - International Film Festival