Film Festivals AU

Submission windows and festival dates for the current filters
Festival	Dates by month
Made in the West Film FestivalSubmissions: opens Mar 2026 (approx.); closes 9 Oct 2026 (typical; unconfirmed). Opens Mar · Closes early Oct. Festival: Nov 2026 (approx.).
MGFFSubmissions: opens Sep 2026 (approx.); closes 8 Dec 2026. Opens mid-Sep · Closes early Dec. Festival: 18 Feb 2027 – 4 Mar 2027.
WAMFFSubmissions: opens Aug 2026 (approx.); closes 1 Dec 2026. Opens Aug · Closes early Dec. Festival: 18 Feb 2027 – 28 Feb 2027.
MWFFSubmissions: opens May 2026 (approx.); closes 2 Oct 2026. Opens May · Closes early Oct. Festival: 18 Mar 2027 – 21 Mar 2027.
GPFFSubmissions: opens Aug 2026 (approx.); closes 29 Jan 2027. Opens Aug · Closes late Jan. Festival: 15 Apr 2027 – 18 Apr 2027.
GCFFSubmissions: opens Aug 2026 (approx.); closes 22 Jan 2027. Opens mid-Aug · Closes late Jan. Festival: 28 Apr 2027 – 9 May 2027.
CinefestOZSubmissions: opens Feb 2027 (approx.); closes 1 Jun 2027 (typical; unconfirmed). Opens Feb · Closes June 1. Festival: Aug 2027 – Sep 2027 (approx.).
AFFSubmissions: opens Nov 2026 (approx.); closes 8 Jun 2027. Opens Nov · Closes early Jun. Festival: 20 Oct 2027 – 31 Oct 2027.

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

Made in the West Film Festival
Short film

Made in the West Film Festival

Liverpool, NSW · Event Cinemas Liverpool
This month

Entries open Mar 2027

Festival
November

Entries
Opens Mar · Closes early Oct

Fees
$35–$50 AUD (early bird to late round)

Submit via
Direct portal (festival website)

Western Sydney's flagship short film festival, screening finalists at Event Cinemas Liverpool. Films must be under 30 minutes and have cast, crew or locations from Western Sydney.
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Series & web series
- Music videos
- Regional filmmakers
- Local / state-made
- Cash prizes
Details for Made in the West 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)
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)
GCFF
Major

Gold Coast Film Festival (GCFF)

Gold Coast, QLD · HOTA (Home of the Arts)
Next: 28 Apr 2027 (in 5 months)

Open for entries · closes 22 Jan 2027

Festival
April / May

Entries
Opens mid-Aug · Closes late Jan

Fees
Scripts & Web Series $20–$40 AUD · Shorts & Features $40–$70 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Queensland festival held at HOTA celebrating features, SIPFEST short films, web series, and screenplays. Queensland premiere strictly required for feature and short film competition entries. AACTA Award-qualifying for features.
- Features
- Shorts
- Series & web series
- Screenplays
- Independent cinema
- AACTA qualifying
- Cash prizes
Details for Gold Coast Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
CinefestOZ
Major

CinefestOZ

Busselton / Margaret River, WA
Next: Aug 2027 (in 9 months)

Entries open Feb 2027

Festival
August / September

Entries
Opens Feb · Closes June 1

Fees
~$50–$100 AUD depending on category

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Premieres Australian and French-Australian features, documentaries, and shorts across regional WA. Home of the prestigious $100,000 AUD CinefestOZ Film Prize; Western Australian premiere required.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Series & web series
- Music videos
- VR / XR
- Independent cinema
- Regional filmmakers
- Cash prizes
Details for CinefestOZ Submit (external site) Website (external site)
AFF
Major

Adelaide Film Festival (AFF)

Adelaide, SA · Adelaide Studios
Next: 20 Oct 2027 (in 11 months)

Open for entries · closes 8 Jun 2027

Festival
October

Entries
Opens Nov · Closes early Jun

Fees
Shorts $40–$75 AUD · Features $80–$130 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

South Australia's premier screen event showcasing Australian and international narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and series. Competitive festival requiring South Australian premieres for feature-length films.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Series & web series
- VR / XR
- Independent cinema
- Cash prizes
Details for Adelaide Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)

Australian film festivals, sorted by what's next

Submission calendar (8)

Made in the West Film Festival

Mardi Gras Film Festival (MGFF)

WA Made Film Festival (WAMFF)

Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF)

Geelong Pride Film Festival (GPFF)

Gold Coast Film Festival (GCFF)

CinefestOZ

Adelaide Film Festival (AFF)

Festival
Made in the West Film Festival
MGFF
WAMFF
MWFF
GPFF
GCFF
CinefestOZ
AFF