Australian film festivals, sorted by what's next

33 festivals and their submission windows, from the major international festivals to short film, genre and identity-focused events. Every listing links straight to the festival's official website and submission page.

Submission calendar (16)

├─┤ Submissions ▬ Festival ┄ Approximate / recurring dates │ Today: 2026-11-08
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Festival
MQFF
SF3
Antenna
MGFF
WAMFF
MWFF
SWIFF / Nextwave
Over The Fence
GPFF
FFFA
MDFF
FSFF
SUFF
EFFA
Monster Fest
SSFFF

Festival type All Major Short film Genre, identity & specialised

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State / territory NSW (12) VIC (10) QLD (4) WA (4) SA (2) ACT (1) NT (1)

Accepts Features (21) Shorts (33) Documentaries (26) Animation (20) Series & web series (8) Music videos (7) VR / XR (6) Screenplays (3)

Focus Genre (sci-fi, fantasy, cult) (6) Horror (2) Documentary (3) Experimental & underground (2) Independent cinema (18) LGBTQIA+ (3) Women & gender-diverse (1) First Nations (2) Regional filmmakers (11) Local / state-made (4) Youth & students (7) Smartphone filmmaking (2) Surf & environment (2) Uplifting stories (1)

Awards & qualifying Academy Award® qualifying (4) BAFTA qualifying (2) AACTA qualifying (3) Cash prizes (33)

Premiere rules Premiere required (11) Premiere preferred (6) No premiere requirement (14)

Entry fees Free entry (4) Fee waivers available (3) Student rates (21)

Submit via FilmFreeway (32) Festhome (1) Festival website (3)

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16 of 33 festivals · sorted by next festival date · Clear filters

MQFF
Genre, identity & specialised

Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF)

Melbourne, VIC · ACMI & Village Jam Factory
This month

Entries open May 2027

Festival
November

Entries
Opens May · Closes early Aug

Fees
Free for Australian entrants (waiver code by email); fees apply to international entries

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Australia's oldest and largest LGBTQIA+ film festival, screening more than 140 features, shorts and documentaries across Melbourne. Entry is free for Australian filmmakers.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- LGBTQIA+
- Cash prizes
Details for Melbourne Queer Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
SF3
Genre, identity & specialised

SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3)

Sydney, NSW · Sydney Opera House
This month

Open for entries · closes 1 Sep 2027

Festival
October / November

Entries
Opens Nov · Closes early Sep

Fees
SF3 Kids Free · Shorts $25–$40 AUD · Features $40–$60 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Australia's international smartphone film festival dedicated to films shot entirely on mobile phones and tablets. Features competitions for Gala Shorts (under 20 mins), Feature Films, SF3 Kids, and SF3 Mini.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Youth & students
- Smartphone filmmaking
- Cash prizes
Details for SmartFone Flick Fest Submit (external site) Website (external site)
Antenna
Genre, identity & specialised

Antenna Documentary Film Festival (Antenna)

Sydney, NSW
Next: 4 Feb 2027 (in 3 months)

Entries open Apr 2027

Festival
February

Entries
Opens Apr · Closes late Oct

Fees
Shorts $15–$30 USD · Features $25–$30 USD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Creative non-fiction from Australia and around the world. Feature documentaries (60 min or longer) compete for a $10,000 cash prize; Australian short documentaries (30 min or less) compete for $5,000. Sydney premiere required.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Documentary
- Cash prizes
Details for Antenna Documentary Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
MGFF
Genre, identity & specialised

Mardi Gras Film Festival (MGFF)

Sydney, NSW · Event Cinemas George St & Dendy Newtown
Next: 18 Feb 2027 (in 3 months)

Closing soon · entries close 8 Dec

Festival
February / March

Entries
Opens mid-Sep · Closes early Dec

Fees
Shorts $30–$40 AUD · Features $50–$60 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Organised by Queer Screen, MGFF is one of the world's largest LGBTQIA+ film festivals. Home of the 'My Queer Career' Australian short film competition with over $16,000 AUD in prizes and no Sydney premiere requirement.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Series & web series
- LGBTQIA+
- Cash prizes
Details for Mardi Gras Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
WAMFF
Genre, identity & specialised

WA Made Film Festival (WAMFF)

Perth, WA · Palace Cinemas Raine Square
Next: 18 Feb 2027 (in 3 months)

Closing soon · entries close 1 Dec

Festival
February

Entries
Opens Aug · Closes early Dec

Fees
Shorts $15 AUD · Long Shorts $25 AUD · Features $35 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Western Australia's largest celebration of exclusively WA-made screen content, showcasing features, documentaries, shorts, web series, and the 'Get Smart!' smartphone film competition.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Series & web series
- Local / state-made
- Youth & students
- Smartphone filmmaking
- Cash prizes
Details for WA Made Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
MWFF
Genre, identity & specialised

Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF)

Melbourne, VIC · ACMI
Next: 18 Mar 2027 (in 4 months)

Entries open May 2027

Festival
March

Entries
Opens May · Closes early Oct

Fees
$20–$55 AUD depending on category and tier (waivers for First Nations & diverse creators)

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Short films (up to 20 min including credits) and web series with a woman or gender-diverse filmmaker in a key creative role, from Australia, Aotearoa New Zealand and Moana Oceania. Narrative, documentary, animation, music video and experimental work; no features. Generative AI banned.
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Series & web series
- Music videos
- Independent cinema
- Women & gender-diverse
- Cash prizes
Details for Melbourne Women in Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
SWIFF / Nextwave
Genre, identity & specialised

Screenwave / Nextwave Youth Film Fest (SWIFF / Nextwave)

Coffs Harbour, NSW · CHEC Theatre
Next: Apr 2027 (in 5 months)

Entries open Jun 2027

Festival
April

Entries
Opens mid-year · Closes late Oct

Fees
Free entry for Australian youth (ages 10–25)

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Presented by SWIFF (Screenwave International Film Festival), Nextwave is Australia's largest regional youth short film festival open to filmmakers aged 10-25 with films up to 5 minutes.
- Shorts
- Regional filmmakers
- Youth & students
- Cash prizes
Details for Screenwave / Nextwave Youth Film Fest Submit (external site) Website (external site)
Over The Fence
Genre, identity & specialised

Over The Fence Comedy Film Festival (Over The Fence)

Fremantle, WA
Next: 9 Apr 2027 (in 5 months)

Open for entries · closes 20 Dec

Festival
April

Entries
Open by Nov · Closes late Dec

Fees
Shorts under 15m $28–$45 AUD · Shorts 16–40m $35–$52 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Grassroots comedy short film festival from Fremantle that launches each year and then tours venues around Australia. Comedy and dark comedy shorts up to 40 minutes.
- Shorts
- Animation
- Genre (sci-fi, fantasy, cult)
- Cash prizes
Details for Over The Fence Comedy Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
GPFF
Genre, identity & specialised

Geelong Pride Film Festival (GPFF)

Geelong, VIC · Pivotonian Cinema
Next: 15 Apr 2027 (in 5 months)

Open for entries · closes 29 Jan 2027

Festival
April

Entries
Opens Aug · Closes late Jan

Fees
Shorts $15–$25 AUD · Features $25–$40 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Regional Victoria's premier LGBTQIA+ film festival celebrating queer cinema from Australia and around the world. Accepts narrative features, shorts, documentaries, animation, and web series.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Series & web series
- LGBTQIA+
- Regional filmmakers
- Cash prizes
Details for Geelong Pride Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
FFFA
Genre, identity & specialised

Fantastic Film Festival Australia (FFFA)

Melbourne, VIC & Sydney, NSW · Lido Cinemas & Ritz Cinemas
Next: 23 Apr 2027 (in 5 months)

Open for entries · closes 31 Jan 2027

Festival
April / May

Entries
Opens late Sep · Closes late Jan

Fees
$30–$60 AUD depending on tier and category

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Genre festival for sci-fi, horror, fantasy and boundary-pushing cinema, screening at Lido Cinemas (Melbourne) and Ritz Cinemas (Sydney). Australian features compete for the $10,000 Fantastic Film Prize, presented with Umbrella Entertainment. VIC and NSW premieres required for features.
- Features
- Shorts
- Animation
- Genre (sci-fi, fantasy, cult)
- Horror
- Cash prizes
Details for Fantastic Film Festival Australia Submit (external site) Website (external site)
MDFF
Genre, identity & specialised

Melbourne Documentary Film Festival (MDFF)

Melbourne, VIC · Cinema Nova
Next: Jul 2027 (in 8 months)

Open for entries · closes May 2027

Festival
July

Entries
Opens June · Closes May

Fees
~$10–$62 AUD depending on tier and category

Submit via
FilmFreeway & Festhome

Dedicated Australian documentary showcase presenting local and international non-fiction features and shorts, VR/XR, and pitching competitions across cinema and streaming formats.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- VR / XR
- Documentary
- Cash prizes
Details for Melbourne Documentary Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
FSFF
Genre, identity & specialised

Far South Film Festival (FSFF)

Merimbula, NSW · The Twyford
Next: Aug 2027 (in 9 months)

Entries open Mar 2027

Festival
August

Entries
Opens Mar · Closes late May

Fees
~$25–$45 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Regional NSW festival showcasing films by regional and remote Australian filmmakers (at least two key creatives must reside in regional/remote Australia). Features short films under 40 minutes and features up to 90 minutes.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Independent cinema
- Regional filmmakers
- Cash prizes
Details for Far South Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
SUFF
Genre, identity & specialised

Sydney Underground Film Festival (SUFF)

Marrickville, Sydney, NSW · The Factory Theatre
Next: Sep 2027 (in 10 months)

Entries open Feb 2027

Festival
September

Entries
Opens Feb · Closes mid-Jul

Fees
Shorts $30–$55 AUD · Features $45–$75 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Dedicated to provocative, independent, counter-culture, and boundary-pushing cinema. Staged at The Factory Theatre in Marrickville across features, shorts, documentaries, and animation.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Genre (sci-fi, fantasy, cult)
- Experimental & underground
- Independent cinema
- Cash prizes
Details for Sydney Underground Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
EFFA
Genre, identity & specialised

Environmental Films Australia (EFFA)

Melbourne, VIC · Kino Cinema & Palace Westgarth
Next: Oct 2027 (in 11 months)

Entries open Jun 2027

Festival
October

Entries
Opens mid-year · Closes late Aug

Fees
~$25–$50 AUD depending on category

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Formerly Environmental Film Festival Australia. Volunteer-run Melbourne festival of documentary, narrative, experimental and animated films about climate, environments and the natural world. Features 40+ minutes, shorts 1–39 minutes; Australian, NZ and First Nations work especially welcome.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Documentary
- Surf & environment
- Cash prizes
Details for Environmental Films Australia Submit (external site) Website (external site)
Monster Fest
Genre, identity & specialised

Monster Fest

Melbourne, VIC · Cinema Nova
Next: Oct 2027 (in 11 months)

Entries open Jan 2027

Festival
October

Entries
Opens early year · Closes early Sep

Fees
Shorts $35–$60 AUD · Features $60–$90 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Horror, dark fantasy and extreme genre cinema. Features (60–120 min, Australian premiere) and shorts (15 min or less, Victorian premiere). Strict anti-AI policy.
- Features
- Shorts
- Animation
- Genre (sci-fi, fantasy, cult)
- Horror
- Cash prizes
Details for Monster Fest Submit (external site) Website (external site)
SSFFF
Genre, identity & specialised

Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival (SSFFF)

Sydney, NSW · Event Cinemas George St
Next: 15 Oct 2027 (in 11 months)

Open for entries · closes 27 Aug 2027

Festival
October

Entries
Opens mid-Oct · Closes late Aug

Fees
Shorts $20–$40 AUD · Features $40–$65 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Australia's premier dedicated science-fiction, fantasy, and speculative cinema festival. Showcases local and international speculative features, shorts, animations, and student works.
- Features
- Shorts
- Animation
- Genre (sci-fi, fantasy, cult)
- Independent cinema
- Cash prizes
Details for Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)

Australian film festivals, sorted by what's next

Submission calendar (16)

Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF)

SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3)

Antenna Documentary Film Festival (Antenna)

Mardi Gras Film Festival (MGFF)

WA Made Film Festival (WAMFF)

Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF)

Screenwave / Nextwave Youth Film Fest (SWIFF / Nextwave)

Over The Fence Comedy Film Festival (Over The Fence)

Geelong Pride Film Festival (GPFF)

Fantastic Film Festival Australia (FFFA)

Melbourne Documentary Film Festival (MDFF)

Far South Film Festival (FSFF)

Sydney Underground Film Festival (SUFF)

Environmental Films Australia (EFFA)

Monster Fest

Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival (SSFFF)