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 (14)

├─┤ Submissions ▬ Festival ┄ Approximate / recurring dates │ Today: 2026-11-08
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Submission windows and festival dates for the current filters
Festival
Made in the West Film Festival
PFF
FFF
AIFF
MGFF
MWFF
SWIFF / Nextwave
Over The Fence
GPFF
FSFF
Heart of Gold
DIFF
CSFF
Port Shorts Film Festival

Festival type All Major Short film Genre, identity & specialised

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Festival month

My film's runtime minutes

Hides festivals with a lower maximum runtime.

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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14 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)
PFF
Short film

Peninsula Film Festival (PFF)

Rosebud, VIC · Rosebud Village Green
Next: 8 Jan 2027 (in 2 months)

Closing soon · entries close 4 Dec

Festival
January

Entries
Opens Feb · Closes early Dec

Fees
$25 AUD standard ($15 Emerging Filmmaker Award)

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Iconic outdoor short film festival on Victoria's Mornington Peninsula, judged live by a panel of celebrity judges with up to $30K in cash and prizes.
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Independent cinema
- Regional filmmakers
- Youth & students
- Cash prizes
Details for Peninsula Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
FFF
Short film

Fleurieu Film Festival (FFF)

McLaren Vale, SA · McLaren Vale Visitor Centre
Next: 6 Feb 2027 (in 3 months)

Closing soon · entries close 1 Dec

Festival
February

Entries
Opens Jun · Closes early Dec

Fees
$20–$35 AUD ($28–$33 student)

Submit via
FilmFreeway

South Australia's premier outdoor short film festival held in the McLaren Vale wine region. Screens short fiction and documentaries with cash prizes and awards across Australian and international categories. Max 15 minutes.
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Independent cinema
- Regional filmmakers
- Cash prizes
Details for Fleurieu Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
AIFF
Short film

Australia Independent Film Festival (AIFF)

Brisbane, QLD · Palace Cinemas James Street
Next: 12 Feb 2027 (in 3 months)

Entries open Feb 2027

Festival
February

Entries
Opens Feb · Closes mid-Sep

Fees
~$25–$50 AUD depending on category

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Brisbane-based celebration of exceptional independent cinema from Queensland, Australia, and internationally. Features narrative shorts, documentaries, student films, and screenplays with no strict premiere restrictions.
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Screenplays
- Independent cinema
- Cash prizes
Details for Australia Independent 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)
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)
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)
Heart of Gold
Short film

Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival (Heart of Gold)

Gympie, QLD
Next: Sep 2027 (in 10 months)

Entries open Mar 2027

Festival
September / October

Entries
Opens Mar · Closes mid-year

Fees
~$30–$50 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Regional Queensland festival celebrating heartwarming, inspiring, and uplifting short films from Australia and worldwide. Features fiction, documentary, animation, and student works. Max 30 minutes.
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Regional filmmakers
- Uplifting stories
- Cash prizes
Details for Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
DIFF
Deckchair Cinema photo by DaHuzyBru, CC BY-SA 4.0 (resized).

Major

Darwin International Film Festival (DIFF)

Darwin, NT · Deckchair Cinema
Next: 9 Sep 2027 (in 10 months)

Entries open Mar 2027

Festival
September

Entries
Opens Mar · Closes mid-Jun

Fees
$15 AUD flat fee ($10 student)

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Iconic outdoor cinema festival held at the waterfront Deckchair Cinema in Darwin. Features international, Australian, and Southeast Asian cinema; selected shorts receive a $100 screening fee.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Independent cinema
- Regional filmmakers
- Cash prizes
Details for Darwin International Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
CSFF
Short film

Canberra Short Film Festival (CSFF)

Canberra, ACT · Dendy Cinemas Canberra Centre
Next: Oct 2027 (in 11 months)

Entries open Feb 2027

Festival
October

Entries
Opens Feb · Closes late Jun

Fees
~$25–$45 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Long-running ACT short film festival screening national and international shorts up to 20 minutes across fiction, documentary, animation, music videos, and local categories.
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Music videos
- Independent cinema
- First Nations
- Local / state-made
- Cash prizes
Details for Canberra Short Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)
Port Shorts Film Festival
Short film

Port Shorts Film Festival

Port Douglas, QLD · Rex Smeal Park
Next: Oct 2027 (in 11 months)

Entries open Apr 2027

Festival
October

Entries
Opens Apr · Closes early Sep

Fees
~$30–$45 AUD

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Tropical outdoor short film festival in Far North Queensland and an official AACTA Awards qualifying event. Features Open, Local, Music Video, and Reel Futures youth categories under the palms at Rex Smeal Park.
- Shorts
- Music videos
- Regional filmmakers
- Youth & students
- AACTA qualifying
- Cash prizes
Details for Port Shorts Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)

Australian film festivals, sorted by what's next

Submission calendar (14)

Made in the West Film Festival

Peninsula Film Festival (PFF)

Fleurieu Film Festival (FFF)

Australia Independent Film Festival (AIFF)

Mardi Gras Film Festival (MGFF)

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)

Far South Film Festival (FSFF)

Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival (Heart of Gold)

Darwin International Film Festival (DIFF)

Canberra Short Film Festival (CSFF)

Port Shorts Film Festival