The phenomenon of micro-dramas, fiction series with episodes lasting just over a minute, designed to be watched on mobile phones, will be discussed on April 17 at 6:30 p.m. at Auditorium 1, in a session entitled “My story went vertical. From China to the World.” The event is organized by the Laboratory for Audiovisual Communication Studies of the Research Centre of Communication and Culture and the Institute of Asian Studies.

The session comes in the context of the recent premiere in Portugal of five microseries produced by SPi and available on RTP Play and RTP’s social media channels. These productions - “Herança Fatal,” “A Casa dos Outros,” “Além do Silêncio,” “Sextortion,” and “Sabores de Amor” - reflect a growing international trend in audiovisual content consumption.

Known as microdramas or microseries, these productions stand out for being designed for viewing on a vertical screen, adapting to contemporary viewing habits on mobile devices. According to screenwriter and producer Pedro Lopes, who is leading the project, this format responds to the growing diversification of media and the fragmentation of the audience’s attention.

The session will feature experts and professionals in the field, including Jorge Santos Alves, professor and coordinator of the Master’s Degree in Asian Studies at FCH-Católica; Pedro Lopes, screenwriter; Manuel Amaro da Costa, director; and José Fragoso, program director at RTP1; as well as Diogo Lopes, Rita Bretão, and Vera Moura, actors. Catarina Duff Burnay, dean of FCH-Católica, will moderate the session.

The focus on this type of content is part of a broader strategy to adapt to new digital platforms, including streaming services and social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. In Portugal, these early productions are seen as a pioneering step in exploring new narrative formats.