It goes without saying that a defining characteristic of short films is their length. The nature of the medium dictates that every frame and word included in the film must count, since time is short. The eight films analyzed in detail in this chapter range from four minutes (Mario Fanfani's Un dimanche matin à Marseille: Béranger) to 23 minutes in length (Ismaël Ferroukhi's L’Exposé). They are thus significantly shorter than many documentaries, as well as téléfilms and feature films, both of which usually average 90 minutes. Unlike feature films, téléfilms, and documentaries, however, short films are unlikely to be seen by large, mainstream audiences, and many are not readily available to the general public. While some short films in France may be screened in cinemas prior to feature-length films, and an increasing number of short films are available online, the channels of distribution for many short films remain limited. Short films featuring Muslim women from the Maghreb in France are no exception. Of the 19 films featuring Maghrebi women that I have identified, most cannot be viewed, rented, or purchased online. While some are available for viewing at institutions such as the Institut national de l’audiovisuel, the Bibliothèque nationale de France (François Mitterrand), and the Centre National de la Cinématographie, these locations are not open to the general public, and the films must be viewed on site. Although few of the films featuring first-generation women were originally screened in cinemas, many did reach limited audiences on the film festival circuit or through being shown in schools or by social organizations.

Short films have the potential to reach larger and more mainstream audiences if they are broadcast on television networks, yet this is hindered by the fact that the timeslots reserved for short films are most often during non-peak viewing hours. For example, France 2's series Histoires courtes and France 3's Libre court both begin after midnight.