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 (12)

├─┤ 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
SF3
FLiCKERFEST
Antenna
MGFF
SWIFF / Nextwave
FFFA
SFF
FSFF
SUFF
SSFFF
BBFF

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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12 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)
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)
FLiCKERFEST
Short film

Flickerfest (FLiCKERFEST)

Bondi Beach, Sydney, NSW · Bondi Pavilion
Next: 22 Jan 2027 (in 2 months)

Entries open Jun 2027

Festival
January

Entries
Opens Jun · Closes mid-Oct

Fees
~$17–$60 AUD (Specsavers TVC ad competition free)

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Australia's leading Academy Award® and BAFTA qualifying international short film festival, staged at Bondi Pavilion on Bondi Beach. Requires Australian premieres for competitive shorts up to 35 minutes.
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Independent cinema
- Youth & students
- Academy Award® qualifying
- BAFTA qualifying
- Cash prizes
Details for Flickerfest 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)
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)
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)
SFF
Major

Sydney Film Festival (SFF)

Sydney, NSW · State Theatre & Dendy Newtown
Next: 9 Jun 2027 (in 7 months)

Open for entries · closes 26 Feb 2027

Festival
June

Entries
Opens Oct · Closes late Feb

Fees
~$45 AUD flat fee (free for First Nations & Screenability)

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Features, documentaries and shorts (under 40 min). NSW premiere strictly required for features. Home of the Academy-qualifying Dendy Awards, Sustainable Future Award, and the $20,000 Documentary Australia Award.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Independent cinema
- First Nations
- Academy Award® qualifying
- Cash prizes
Details for Sydney 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)
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)
BBFF
Major

Byron Bay International Film Festival (BBFF)

Byron Bay, NSW · Palace Byron Bay
Next: 22 Oct 2027 (in 11 months)

Open for entries · closes 31 Aug 2027

Festival
October

Entries
Opens Nov · Closes late Aug

Fees
$30–$75 AUD depending on category and tier

Submit via
FilmFreeway

Celebrates independent cinema across dramatic features, documentaries, shorts, animations, surf/environmental films, and VR/XR. Prefers NSW premieres for major titles and awards cash prizes.
- Features
- Shorts
- Documentaries
- Animation
- Music videos
- VR / XR
- Screenplays
- Independent cinema
- Regional filmmakers
- Surf & environment
- Cash prizes
Details for Byron Bay International Film Festival Submit (external site) Website (external site)

Australian film festivals, sorted by what's next

Submission calendar (12)

Made in the West Film Festival

SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3)

Flickerfest (FLiCKERFEST)

Antenna Documentary Film Festival (Antenna)

Mardi Gras Film Festival (MGFF)

Screenwave / Nextwave Youth Film Fest (SWIFF / Nextwave)

Fantastic Film Festival Australia (FFFA)

Sydney Film Festival (SFF)

Far South Film Festival (FSFF)

Sydney Underground Film Festival (SUFF)

Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival (SSFFF)

Byron Bay International Film Festival (BBFF)