VITA SHORTS is presented jointly by the Cadillac Shanghai Concert Hall, Hoyts Cinemas, and Goethe-Institut Shanghai, serving as the only member festival of the Short Film Conference (SFC) in Shanghai and Beijing, China.

Since its founding 5 years ago, VITA SHORTS has curated spotlight programs featuring directors such as Christian Petzold, Tsai Ming-liang, Kiyoshi Kurosawa, and Truong Minh Quy, and has collaborated with organizations including the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen, Short Shorts Film Festival & Asia, Busan Shorts, Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen, UCCA Center for Contemporary Art, and Beijing Film Academy. Starting in 2025, the festival introduced the Discovery Short Film Award, which carries eligibility for the Annual Short Film Selection of the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival under the International SFC.

From October 16–19, the four-day VITA SHORTS (2025) took place in Shanghai, presenting 64 shorts and medium-length films. All screening sessions were free and open to the public and film fans, and a “Shanghai Choice Honor” Audience Award was determined by popular vote. Participating filmmakers included Helena Wittmann, Danzuka Yui, and Tetsuya Mariko, among others. Nearly 30 crews from China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Macau, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and Singapore participated, with a total attendance of over 2,000 viewers.