For its third edition, CourtMed confirmed its success with increased participation and a record number of films (see statistics here).
Organized by the CMCA, in partnership with France 3 PACA and France 3 Corse Via Stella, this competition dedicated to film schools and young Mediterranean filmmakers awarded nine short films from France, Spain, Italy, Lebanon, Tunisia, and Morocco.
The official results of the CourtMed 2026
Prix FRANCE 3 PACA
L’AUDITION D’OSCAR
(France, 14 min, 2025)
Director: Henri Ballester-Colonna
Production : SATIS (Aix-Marseille Université).
Oscar is 19 years old the day he takes the entrance exam for a prestigious drama school. After months of rehearsals with his best friend, who reads his lines, the scene he thought he had mastered gradually slips from his grasp. As the performance progresses, the line between reality and fiction blurs, putting his dream and his friendship to the test.
Born on March 28, 2003, in Montpellier, Henri Ballester-Colonna discovered cinema in middle school, making his first short films with a friend. Initially a playful activity, this practice quickly evolved into an artistic commitment based on collaborative work. Keenly aware of the central role of actors, he trained in directing actors at the Cours Florent Jeunesse drama school, where he later became a teacher. After earning a degree in film and audiovisual studies, he enrolled at SATIS, a film school at Aix-Marseille University. Winner of the final-year screenwriting competition, he has developed a style of filmmaking attentive to the actors’ performances, and is currently exploring freer and more transgressive forms.
Prix FRANCE 3 PACA
Prix FRANCE 3 Corse Via Stella
SRA. ANTONIA
(Spain, 7min, 2025)
Director : Aline López
Production : ECCIT · Escola Catalana de Cinema i Televisió
On the occasion of Hispanic Day, the Díaz family gathers to celebrate the event in grand style, but a joke threatens the serenity of their grandmother, who is so attached to traditions.
Aline López, a director, screenwriter, and psychologist originally from Lleida, graduated from the ECCIT film school. Since 2021, she has worked as a short film director for the Lleida City Council’s youth department and as a psychology professor at the university. She is currently developing the series “La Madriguera,” which was selected for the Series Concept competition.
UNTIL WE BURY THEM !
(Spain, 15 min, 2026)
Director : Marco Araujo
Production : ECAM – Escuela de cine y del audiovisual
Un groupe de voisins a été expulsé de l’immeuble collectif où ils avaient vécu toute leur vie. Ils décident de se venger du promoteur immobilier responsable de cette injustice. L’équipe est menée par Lázaro, le plus âgé d’entre eux, homme aux convictions inébranlables. Leur objectif : lui faire payer les conséquences de sa cupidité et envoyer un message au reste du monde.
Marco Araujo Dolado (Madrid, 2004) s’est intéressé au cinéma dès son plus jeune âge et a depuis, réalisé plusieurs courts métrages qui ont été primés dans des festivals dédiés aux jeunes cinéastes. En 2021, il a écrit et réalisé « On the Second Floor », avec María Galiana, qui a été sélectionné notamment aux festivals Skyline Benidorm et Cinema Jove. En 2022, il s’est inscrit à l’ECAM, où il a obtenu son diplôme en réalisation cinématographique. Son projet de fin d’études, « Until we bury them! », aborde la question des expulsions et de la spéculation immobilière.
LOSERS
(Italy, 15 min, 2025)
Director : Pietro Macaione
Production : Scuola d’Arte Cinematografica “Gian Maria Volonté”.
Federico, an aspiring actor, is gradually drifting away from his loved ones to dedicate himself to his passion. He lives with Anna, his sister, a student unsure of what to do with her life, and Alan, their roommate, who is losing the love of his life. Three young people united by a single need: to be accepted and not to face their struggles alone.
Pietro Macaione (Palermo, 1996) is a director and writer. A graduate of the Academy of Fine Arts (2020), he directed the documentary “Tagnol” and worked on international film sets (“Indiana Jones 5,” “The White Lotus 2”). Since 2023, he has been studying directing at the Gian Maria Volonté Film School, where he directed “Losers” in 2025. That same year, he directed “La fuitina” as part of the “Aldeas” project, under the supervision of Martin Scorsese and Alfonso Gómez-Rejón.
Prix FRANCE 3 Corse Via Stella
KBODA
(Liban, 9 min, 2026)
Director : Zain Sayes
Production : Université Libanaise.
Sami believes she saw her sister Christine with a man. As suspicion turns to rage, Nay tries to warn her, but it’s too late. Convinced of her guilt, Sami commits a brutal act in the name of “honor,” while the surrounding community remains silent. As Nay confronts both Sami and the mob, the story exposes the violence justified by tradition, leading to an irreversible and devastating end.
Of Moroccan and Syrian descent, Zain Sayes is a student at the Lebanese University. At 20 years old, he describes himself as a passionate filmmaker with a strong creative vision and a natural talent for storytelling. His work focuses on visual narrative, aiming to create films that captivate audiences and leave a lasting impression.
Selection CMCA
PIERRE-FEUILLE-CISEAUX
(Tunisie, 15 min, 2025)
Director : Cherifa Benouda
Production : ESAC.
In a world where bureaucracy reigns supreme, “Da'” tries to obtain a simple document to get married. Guided by a strange civil servant, he navigates the absurd circles of the administration. A burlesque, silent, and hopeless journey into the heart of an administrative nightmare.
Trained as an architect, Cherifa Benouda developed an early interest in visual art, initially through painting and then graphic design. She then trained in theater at El Teatro Studio, where she explored acting, writing, and set design. She subsequently pursued a master’s degree in filmmaking at the Gammarth Film School (ESAC). Her career has been built at the intersection of several artistic disciplines. Today, she works across architecture, film, theater, set design, and graphic design.
ONE SHOT
(Morocco, 13 min, 2026)
Director : Ali Oukkad
Production : Plugon.
The film delves into an intense conflict between radical artistic ambition and fragile reality. It revolves around Anas, a famous Moroccan actor known for his popular and familiar roles (Ramadan television series, commercials), and a young director willing to push boundaries to impose his vision.
Ali Oukkad, a Moroccan filmmaker based in France, holds degrees in Art History from the University of Toulouse and in Film Studies from Paul-Valéry University in Montpellier. He developed his international career in China and Indonesia before directing his first professional short film, “One Shot,” in Morocco. Alongside his directing work, he has also worked as a lead editor on two Moroccan documentaries.
SONATA (Sonate)
(Italy, 15 min, 2025)
Director : Tullio Edoardo Rocca
Production : Scuola d’Arte Cinematografica “Gian Maria Volonté”.
Ginevra and Giulio are brother and sister, but that’s all they have in common: not even the piano unites them anymore. When Ginevra is forced to sacrifice everything to prevent Giulio from destroying himself and ending up behind bars, she discovers within herself the same fierce flame that burns in her brother.
After graduating with a degree in philosophy, Tullio Edoardo Rocca went to study documentary filmmaking at the National Film School of Cuba. Upon returning to Rome, he began working as a videographer and co-founded Atlantide with two colleagues, a video services and rental company that supports emerging filmmakers. Simultaneously, he continued his training at the Officina Pasolini and the Leo Benvenuti School of Screenwriting. He recently earned a degree in directing from the Gian Maria Volonté School of Cinematographic Art.
BLACK TOOTH
(Libanon, 11 min, 2025)
Director : Elio El Khoury
Production : Université Libanaise, Faculty of fine arts.
Louay’s nights are haunted by a childhood nightmare: a ruthless dentist pulls out his teeth one by one. Years later, he returns to his village for his father’s funeral. In the silence of his home, facing his grieving mother, Louay confronts his past.
Elio El Khoury is a Lebanese filmmaker and writer. He holds a bachelor’s degree in film and television from the Faculty of Fine Arts at the Lebanese University and is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the same institution. With a background in life sciences, his work is marked by a long-standing fascination with human biology, memory, and the mind. Through experimental and narrative cinema, he explores themes of identity, family, and trauma. His short film “Black Tooth” premiered at the NDU International Film Festival and has been screened extensively internationally.
This list of winners once again illustrates CourtMed’s ambition: to provide a springboard for emerging talent and celebrate unique perspectives on the Mediterranean world.
The award-winning short films will soon be broadcast on France 3 PACA, France 3 Corse, and Via Stella. The films awarded the CMCA Selection will also be featured at a special event organized by CMCA in Marseille.
