HaHaArt 2023 was presented on Thursday in Pombal and director Carlos Calika explained to the Lusa agency that the second year of the event serves as “confirmation of the existence of the festival, which is already beginning to be known”. would run. Fortunately it went very well. I think the bet on comedy was won because it is a festival different from all the others in Portugal and it is recognized for that”, underlined the person in charge of the organization, in charge of the Cineclube de Pombal. viewers who sold out some of the sessions, HaHaArt takes a step forward in this second edition, starting to charge a registration fee for candidate films. In this way, the organization received “fewer films, but with higher quality”, he pointed out. In total there are 240 candidates from 30 countries, which will now be analyzed to define which ones will make the selection of fifty to be shown in October. The comedies arrive from all over Europe, but also from destinations such as Australia, Malaysia, Iran or the Unidos da América. creativity”, highlighted the director. “Some directors told us that they created specifically for the festival and that they already have short films to be prepared for next year’s festival. It’s very good, it feels good to hear that”, he said. The only comedy film festival in the country came to fill a void that, for the director of HaHaArt, is difficult to understand: “Comedy in Portugal has strength and makes money”, stressed Carlos Calika, recalling the box office success of “Curral de Moinas: the people’s bankers”, last year, or “Pôr do Sol – The mystery of the São Cajó necklace”. For this reason, HaHaArt “is here to stay ” and wants, in the future, to assume itself “as a reference”, both nationally and internationally. .“I think that the spirit of the festival gains a lot from this, because it is a happy festival, for all ages, without heavy burdens and without leaving the cinema to reflect. Above all, there is a desire for people to have fun and see good cinema”, he described. from the Guiões festival, from the director of photography Miguel Faustino, from the director Paolo Marinou-Blanco, one of the winners of the first edition of HaHaArt, and another element to be announced.