by FIlmInk Staff
Sydney-based artist Keith Stanley, the founder and creative force behind the global brand Heavy Mental, has conjured an other-worldly poster-art concept for the 2026 Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival. Australia’s premiere sci-fi/fantasy film event will be held October 9-11 at EVENT Cinemas George Street.
“I had a blast creating this year’s Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival poster artwork,” says Stanley. “Science fiction has inspired audiences, artists and filmmakers throughout history, so I wanted to capture that sense of imagination and wonder in my own illustrative style, creating something that would pull you into a different world. I hope the artwork celebrates the genre and gets people excited for everything the festival has to offer.”
Commissioned by Festival Director Simon Foster to add his vision to the gallery of original designs that have represented the festival over its seven year history, Stanley has imagined Sydney as a deep-space floating metropolis. With a gaseous mega-planet as a backdrop and cinematic frames serving as its rings, ‘Space-Sydney’ features such iconic landmarks as The Opera House, The Harbour Bridge and Westfield Tower.
“Keith has an eye for the fantastic that made him the artist that I wanted above all others for this year’s poster design,” says Foster. “The extraordinary work he has done to date, designs that see him held in the highest regard in the pop-art community, exhibit a unique perspective that complements the types of films we program. His poster design is a singularly breathtaking work of speculative sci-fi.”
A limited number of the 2026 Poster will be available for sale via the official Heavy Mental Art website: https://www.heavymentalart.com.au/shop/2026-ssfff-official-poster
T-shirts featuring the artwork will be available for pre-order soon.
HEAVY MENTAL Official Website: https://www.heavymentalart.com.au/
Instagram Page: https://www.instagram.com/heavymentalartist
SYDNEY SCIENCE FICTION FILM FESTIVAL Official Website: https://www.sydneysciencefictionfilmfestival.com.au/
