by FilmInk Staff
Final late-entry deadline: 1 August 2026
Festival: Sunday, 13 September 2026 | 5pm
Randwick Ritz, Sydney
The 12th Joy House Film Festival returns to Sydney’s Randwick Ritz on Sunday, 13 September 2026 at 5pm, bringing together emerging and established filmmakers to celebrate original short films, diverse voices and stories that inspire meaningful social impact.
Hosted by Dan Doody (Channel 10), this year’s festival will celebrate an exciting lineup of filmmakers and storytellers. Finalists announced so far include Kacey Baker (One More For Safety), Craig Boreham (New Blue), Sonya Takau, Alix Livingstone (GANIBARRA), Katie Xiang Ord (A Life in Transactions), Jhonattan Sarmiento (The Museum of Fatigue), Lyna Tadount, and Sofian Chouaib (Ya Hanouni).
The festival will present three major awards recognising excellence in filmmaking and social impact:
- Best Film
- Cultural Impact Award
- Changemaker Award for Women, celebrating films made by women and stories that create positive change.
Joining the festival as a judge is acclaimed actor and filmmaker Ana Thu Nguyen, known for her work in Mortal Kombat 2 and the upcoming feature film Her Last Laugh, alongside Dan Doody.
The Joy House Film Festival is dedicated to creating a platform where filmmakers can share stories that entertain, challenge perspectives and encourage conversations around culture, identity, representation and social change.
Filmmakers have one final opportunity to submit their work, with late entries closing on 1 August 2026.
Festival Director Joy Hopwood says the festival continues to champion filmmakers whose stories have the power to connect audiences and make a difference.
“The Joy House Film Festival is about celebrating the incredible diversity of voices and stories in our filmmaking community. We want to give filmmakers a platform to be seen, heard and celebrated, while creating an environment where audiences can discover new talent and stories that stay with them long after the screening.”
The 12th Joy House Film Festival will be held at Randwick Ritz on Sunday, 13 September 2026 at 5pm.
Final late-entry deadline: 1 August 2026.
For festival submissions, tickets and further information, visit the Joy House Film Festival website and social media channels.
