Student film festivals in Australia and youth competitions
Student film festivals in Australia and youth competitions listed here include dedicated events and youth categories within broader festivals. Compare opportunities such as Trop Jr, Australia Youth Film Festival and St Kilda’s Under the Radar programme. Before entering, check how age or student status is assessed, which creative roles must qualify, and whether reduced or free entry applies to your category.
Submission calendar (18)
├─┤ Submissions▬ Festival┄ Approximate / recurring dates│ Today: 2026-11-09
Next festival edition and its preceding submission window; closed windows stay visible. Dashed boxes show possible months, not confirmed days. Scroll for all festivals and months; hover a row for dates.
Submission windows and festival dates for the current filters
Festival
Dates by month
FOASubmissions: opens Feb 2026 (approx.); closes Jul 2026 (approx.). Opens Feb · Closes Jul. Festival: Oct 2026 – Nov 2026 (approx.).
SF3Submissions: opens Nov 2025 (approx.); closes 1 Sep 2026 (typical; unconfirmed). Opens Nov · Closes early Sep. Festival: Oct 2026 – Nov 2026 (approx.).
CCFFSubmissions: opens Mar 2026 (approx.); closes 1 Sep 2026. Opens Mar · Closes early Sept. Festival: 14 Nov 2026 – 21 Nov 2026.
Trop JrSubmissions: opens Aug 2026 (approx.); closes 23 Oct 2026. Opens Aug · Closes Oct. Festival: 4 Dec 2026 – 4 Dec 2026.
PFFSubmissions: opens Feb 2026 (approx.); closes 4 Dec 2026. Opens Feb · Closes early Dec. Festival: 8 Jan 2027 – 12 Jan 2027.
FLiCKERFESTSubmissions: opens Jun 2026 (approx.); closes 14 Oct 2026. Opens Jun · Closes mid-Oct. Festival: 22 Jan 2027 – 31 Jan 2027.
WAMFFSubmissions: opens Aug 2026 (approx.); closes 1 Dec 2026. Opens Aug · Closes early Dec. Festival: 18 Feb 2027 – 28 Feb 2027.
LCASubmissions: opens Feb 2027 (approx.); closes Mar 2027 (approx.). Opens Feb · Closes early Mar. Festival: Mar 2027 (approx.).
SWIFF / NextwaveSubmissions: opens Jun 2026 (approx.); closes 25 Oct 2026 (typical; unconfirmed). Opens mid-year · Closes late Oct. Festival: Apr 2027 (approx.).
SKFFSubmissions: opens Sep 2026 (approx.); closes 15 Jan 2027 (typical; unconfirmed). Opens Sep · Closes mid-Jan. Festival: 3 Jun 2027 – 13 Jun 2027.
SLSFFSubmissions: opens Aug 2026 (approx.); closes 31 May 2027. Opens Aug · Closes late May. Festival: 6 Aug 2027 – 7 Aug 2027.
Weindorfer Short Film FestivalSubmissions: opening TBC; closing TBC. Opening TBC · Closes Aug. Festival: Sep 2027 (approx.).
VSFFSubmissions: opens Feb 2027 (approx.); closes 7 May 2027. Opens Feb · Closes early May. Festival: 3 Sep 2027 – 5 Sep 2027.
AIFFSubmissions: opens Jan 2027 (approx.); closes Jun 2027 (approx.). Opens Jan · Closes June. Festival: Oct 2027 (approx.).
Fraser Shorts Film FestivalSubmissions: opens Oct 2026 (approx.); closes Sep 2027 (approx.). Opens Oct · Closes Sept. Festival: Oct 2027 (approx.).
Port Shorts Film FestivalSubmissions: opens Apr 2027 (approx.); closes 1 Sep 2027 (typical; unconfirmed). Opens Apr · Closes early Sep. Festival: Oct 2027 (approx.).
STUFFit Student Film FestivalSubmissions: opens Feb 2027 (approx.); closes 25 Jun 2027. Opens late Feb · Closes June. Festival: 2 Oct 2027 – 2 Oct 2027.
Includes festival dates for all current matches. Approximate dates cover the possible months and are marked tentative. This is a one-time import; changes here will not sync automatically.
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.
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.
Ettalong Beach, NSW · Cinema Paradiso Next: 14 Nov 2026 (in 5 days)
Entries open Mar 2027
Festival
14–21 Nov 2026
Entries
Opens Mar · Closes early Sept
Fees
$10–$115 AUD across categories · Student and local rates available
Submit via
FilmFreeway
Australian and international features, mid-length films and shorts, with documentary, animation, music video and experimental categories. Dedicated categories recognise Central Coast productions, students, under-18 filmmakers and First Nations work.
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.
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.
Canberra, ACT · Senate Rose Gardens, Old Parliament House Next: Mar 2027 (in 4 months)
Entries open Feb 2027
Festival
March
Entries
Opens Feb · Closes early Mar
Fees
$22 student/under-18/inclusive teams · $33 general; currency unconfirmed
Submit via
Direct portal (festival website)
Ten-day filmmaking challenge using an announced theme and Canberra items or locations, followed by a public gala screening. Films can run up to seven minutes including credits. Student, under-18 and disability-inclusive team categories have reduced entry rates.
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.
St Kilda, Melbourne, VIC · The Astor Theatre & Alex Theatre Next: 3 Jun 2027 (in 7 months)
Open for entries · closes 15 Jan 2027
Festival
June
Entries
Opens Sep · Closes mid-Jan
Fees
Top Shorts ~$35–$60 AUD · Free for Under the Radar (youth)
Submit via
FilmFreeway
Australia's longest-running short film festival, produced by the City of Port Phillip and accredited by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscar® qualifying). Showcases Australia's Top Short Films competition. Victorian premiere required.
Accepts shorts, documentaries, animation and music videos from Australia-based filmmakers aged 15–24, including students and non-students of any nationality. Entries must have been completed within two years of the deadline; previously published films are accepted.
Brisbane, QLD · PIP Theatre Next: 6 Aug 2027 (in 9 months)
Open for entries · closes 31 May 2027
Festival
August
Entries
Opens Aug · Closes late May
Fees
~$10–$30 AUD
Submit via
FilmFreeway
Independent short film festival held at PIP Theatre in Milton, Brisbane, dedicated to unique, heartfelt short films up to 20 minutes. Accepts drama, comedy, horror, queer, animation, student, music video, and documentary works. No premiere requirements.
Launceston, TAS · Launceston Conference Centre Next: Sep 2027 (in 10 months)
Submission dates TBC
Festival
September
Entries
Opening TBC · Closes Aug
Fees
Fee schedule not confirmed
Submit via
FilmFreeway
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.
Hobart, TAS · State Cinema Next: 3 Sep 2027 (in 10 months)
Entries open Feb 2027
Festival
September
Entries
Opens Feb · Closes early May
Fees
Free entry
Submit via
FilmFreeway
National short film festival premiering 2 to 5 minute Australian stories in Hobart before a nationwide tour. Competition films must incorporate the annual signature theme ('TURN' for 2027) and premiere at the festival. Free to enter across 18 & Under and 19 & Over categories.
Australian and international short films in any genre, completed in any year, with no strict premiere requirement. Includes animation, documentary, student, South Australian and First Nations categories, plus a screenplay program. Student films have a shorter 20-minute limit.
Short films across fiction, documentary, animation, experimental, environmental, First Nations, music video and student categories. Screenings take place in Maryborough and Hervey Bay. Only films made in the Fraser Coast region qualify for the local category.
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.
Sunshine Coast, QLD Next: 2 Oct 2027 (in 11 months)
Entries open Feb 2027
Festival
2 Oct 2027
Entries
Opens late Feb · Closes June
Fees
$15 early bird · $20 regular; currency unconfirmed
Submit via
FilmFreeway
International high-school student festival for ages 12–18, accepting scripted films, documentaries, animation, experimental work and music videos. All major production roles must be held by current students. Cash prizes are offered and generative AI content is ineligible.
