{
  "today": "2026-11-09",
  "total": 71,
  "matched": 4,
  "offset": 0,
  "limit": 500,
  "filters": {
    "q": "",
    "facets": {
      "focus": [
        "uplifting"
      ]
    },
    "open": false,
    "month": null,
    "runtime": null,
    "sort": "upcoming"
  },
  "festivals": [
    {
      "id": "focus-on-ability-short-film-festival",
      "name": "Focus on Ability Short Film Festival",
      "shortName": "FOA",
      "location": "Chatswood, Sydney, NSW",
      "venue": "The Concourse",
      "summary": "International short film festival organised by NOVA Employment celebrating the achievements and abilities of people with disability. Free to enter for films up to 5 minutes across school, open, and international short film and documentary categories, competing for substantial cash and mentoring prizes alongside online public voting.",
      "websiteUrl": "https://focusonability.com.au/",
      "submissionUrl": "https://focusonability.com.au/entry",
      "imageUrl": "https://focusonability.com.au/images/og-cover.jpg",
      "sources": [
        "https://focusonability.com.au/entry",
        "https://focusonability.com.au/terms",
        "https://focusonability.com.au/about",
        "https://focusonability.com.au/prizes"
      ],
      "verifiedOn": "2026-11-08",
      "festival": {
        "text": "October / November",
        "startMonth": 10,
        "endMonth": 11,
        "startDate": null,
        "endDate": null
      },
      "submissions": {
        "text": "Opens Feb · Closes Jul",
        "openMonth": 2,
        "closeMonth": 7,
        "closeDay": null,
        "deadline": null
      },
      "platform": "Direct portal (festival website)",
      "fees": {
        "text": "Free entry",
        "min": 0,
        "max": 0,
        "currency": "AUD"
      },
      "maxRuntimeMinutes": 5,
      "tags": {
        "category": [
          "specialised"
        ],
        "state": [
          "nsw"
        ],
        "format": [
          "short",
          "documentary"
        ],
        "focus": [
          "disability",
          "youth",
          "uplifting"
        ],
        "recognition": [
          "cash-prize"
        ],
        "premiere": [
          "none"
        ],
        "cost": [
          "free"
        ],
        "platform": [
          "direct"
        ]
      },
      "updatedAt": "2026-11-08T12:34:33Z",
      "next": {
        "status": "now",
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        "startDate": "2026-10-01",
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        "sortDate": "2026-11-09"
      },
      "submissionStatus": {
        "status": "closed",
        "closesOn": "2027-07-31",
        "closeExact": false,
        "opensOn": "2027-02-01",
        "daysToClose": 264,
        "closingSoon": false
      },
      "url": "https://film-festivals.au/festivals/focus-on-ability-short-film-festival"
    },
    {
      "id": "space-faring-civilisation-film-festival",
      "name": "Space Faring Civilisation Film Festival",
      "shortName": "SFC",
      "location": "Canberra, ACT",
      "venue": "Tuggeranong Arts Centre",
      "summary": "Science-grounded, optimistic narratives, documentaries and animation, with shorts up to 30 minutes and a selected feature premiere. Features require Canberra premiere status; shorts have no prior-screening restriction. The workshop-participant category is free.",
      "websiteUrl": "https://sfcfilms.com/film-festival/",
      "submissionUrl": "https://filmfreeway.com/SFCFestival",
      "imageUrl": null,
      "sources": [
        "https://filmfreeway.com/SFCFestival"
      ],
      "verifiedOn": "2026-11-09",
      "festival": {
        "text": "13–14 Aug 2027",
        "startMonth": 8,
        "endMonth": 8,
        "startDate": "2027-08-13",
        "endDate": "2027-08-14"
      },
      "submissions": {
        "text": "Opens Sept · Closes early June",
        "openMonth": 9,
        "closeMonth": 6,
        "closeDay": null,
        "deadline": "2027-06-01"
      },
      "platform": "FilmFreeway",
      "fees": {
        "text": "Shorts $15–$50 · Features $50–$90 · Student rates and free workshop category; currency unconfirmed",
        "min": null,
        "max": null,
        "currency": null
      },
      "maxRuntimeMinutes": null,
      "tags": {
        "category": [
          "specialised"
        ],
        "state": [
          "act"
        ],
        "format": [
          "feature",
          "short",
          "documentary",
          "animation"
        ],
        "focus": [
          "genre",
          "science",
          "uplifting"
        ],
        "premiere": [
          "required",
          "none"
        ],
        "cost": [
          "free",
          "student"
        ],
        "platform": [
          "filmfreeway"
        ]
      },
      "updatedAt": "2026-11-09T01:06:57Z",
      "next": {
        "status": "upcoming",
        "exact": true,
        "startDate": "2027-08-13",
        "endDate": "2027-08-14",
        "monthsAway": 9,
        "daysAway": 277,
        "sortDate": "2027-08-13"
      },
      "submissionStatus": {
        "status": "open",
        "closesOn": "2027-06-01",
        "closeExact": true,
        "opensOn": null,
        "daysToClose": 204,
        "closingSoon": false
      },
      "url": "https://film-festivals.au/festivals/space-faring-civilisation-film-festival"
    },
    {
      "id": "heart-of-gold-international-short-film-festival",
      "name": "Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival",
      "shortName": "Heart of Gold",
      "location": "Gympie, QLD",
      "venue": null,
      "summary": "Regional Queensland festival celebrating heartwarming, inspiring, and uplifting short films from Australia and worldwide. Features fiction, documentary, animation, and student works. Max 30 minutes.",
      "websiteUrl": "https://www.heartofgold.com.au/",
      "submissionUrl": "https://filmfreeway.com/heartofgoldfilmfest",
      "imageUrl": "https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6215930090272b6474c73c3a/t/62564900bca70851f5e68e5c/1649821952463/HOG+Social+1.png?format=1500w",
      "sources": [
        "https://www.heartofgold.com.au/",
        "https://www.heartofgold.com.au/volunteer"
      ],
      "verifiedOn": "2026-11-08",
      "festival": {
        "text": "September / October",
        "startMonth": 9,
        "endMonth": 10,
        "startDate": null,
        "endDate": null
      },
      "submissions": {
        "text": "Opens Mar · Closes mid-year",
        "openMonth": 3,
        "closeMonth": 6,
        "closeDay": 30,
        "deadline": null
      },
      "platform": "FilmFreeway",
      "fees": {
        "text": "~$30–$50 AUD",
        "min": 30,
        "max": 50,
        "currency": "AUD"
      },
      "maxRuntimeMinutes": 30,
      "tags": {
        "category": [
          "short"
        ],
        "state": [
          "qld"
        ],
        "format": [
          "short",
          "documentary",
          "animation"
        ],
        "focus": [
          "regional",
          "uplifting"
        ],
        "recognition": [
          "cash-prize"
        ],
        "premiere": [
          "none"
        ],
        "cost": [
          "student"
        ],
        "platform": [
          "filmfreeway"
        ]
      },
      "updatedAt": "2026-11-08T08:08:12Z",
      "next": {
        "status": "upcoming",
        "exact": false,
        "startDate": "2027-09-01",
        "endDate": null,
        "monthsAway": 10,
        "daysAway": 296,
        "sortDate": "2027-09-01"
      },
      "submissionStatus": {
        "status": "closed",
        "closesOn": "2027-06-30",
        "closeExact": true,
        "opensOn": "2027-03-01",
        "daysToClose": 233,
        "closingSoon": false
      },
      "url": "https://film-festivals.au/festivals/heart-of-gold-international-short-film-festival"
    },
    {
      "id": "weindorfer-short-film-festival",
      "name": "Weindorfer Short Film Festival",
      "shortName": null,
      "location": "Launceston, TAS",
      "venue": "Launceston Conference Centre",
      "summary": "Films of 2–12 minutes connecting with Australia's natural environment, positive environmental action or the legacy of Kate and Gustav Weindorfer. Open and under-19 categories are restricted to Australian residents, including all members of group entries. Winners receive cash prizes.",
      "websiteUrl": "https://weindorferfilmfestival.com.au/",
      "submissionUrl": "https://filmfreeway.com/WeindorferShortFilmFestival",
      "imageUrl": null,
      "sources": [
        "https://filmfreeway.com/WeindorferShortFilmFestival",
        "https://weindorferfilmfestival.com.au/film_submission_guidelines/"
      ],
      "verifiedOn": "2026-11-09",
      "festival": {
        "text": "September",
        "startMonth": 9,
        "endMonth": 9,
        "startDate": null,
        "endDate": null
      },
      "submissions": {
        "text": "Opening TBC · Closes Aug",
        "openMonth": null,
        "closeMonth": null,
        "closeDay": null,
        "deadline": null
      },
      "platform": "FilmFreeway",
      "fees": {
        "text": "Fee schedule not confirmed",
        "min": null,
        "max": null,
        "currency": null
      },
      "maxRuntimeMinutes": 12,
      "tags": {
        "category": [
          "specialised"
        ],
        "state": [
          "tas"
        ],
        "format": [
          "short"
        ],
        "focus": [
          "youth",
          "environment",
          "uplifting"
        ],
        "recognition": [
          "cash-prize"
        ],
        "platform": [
          "filmfreeway"
        ]
      },
      "updatedAt": "2026-11-09T01:06:57Z",
      "next": {
        "status": "upcoming",
        "exact": false,
        "startDate": "2027-09-01",
        "endDate": null,
        "monthsAway": 10,
        "daysAway": 296,
        "sortDate": "2027-09-01"
      },
      "submissionStatus": {
        "status": "unknown",
        "closesOn": null,
        "closeExact": false,
        "opensOn": null,
        "daysToClose": null,
        "closingSoon": false
      },
      "url": "https://film-festivals.au/festivals/weindorfer-short-film-festival"
    }
  ]
}