by FilmInk Staff
NOVA Employment celebrated its annual Focus on Ability Short Film Festival Awards Ceremony on Sunday afternoon at The Concourse in Chatswood.
The awards were presented by a star-studded line-up of celebrities including FOA Ambassador Paula Duncan AM, Nick Hardcastle, Lynne McGranger, Tony Bonner AM, Christie Dawes, John Jarratt, Gerard O’Dwyer, James Stewart and Ada Nicodemo.
This year’s festival attracted 240 submissions from 26 countries, showcasing the remarkable diversity of stories and voices that make this event one of the most unique on the film calendar. The annual event showcases short films and documentaries under five minutes long that shine a spotlight on the creativity, talent and achievements of people with disability.
This year, the NOVA Employment Choice Award of $5,000 has been jointly awarded to two powerful Australian documentaries that spotlight the realities of living with disability; Focus by Zac Stevenson and Road Trip by Alex Sideratos. Focus follows Kai, who has autism and dyslexia, on his journey to found Kaiko Fidgets, a company purpose-built for the neurodivergent community. Road Trip offers an intimate look at a young man with autism as he navigates the complexities of social interaction, and discovers a job he genuinely loves, where his skills, knowledge and expertise can shine.
Blairlogie Living and Learning Inc.’s The Bookshop took home the Judges Choice Award for Best Short Film, telling a beautiful story of love and loss. The Judges Choice Award for Best Documentary went to Aurora Support Services for their film The Long Goodbye which follows Max, who has down syndrome, as he learns to live alone as his parents enter aged care. Both Blairlogie Living and Aurora Support Services received a $5,000 cash prize and a range of invaluable mentorship opportunities.
The $5,000 cash prize award for Most Online Votes for a short film or documentary went to Sri Lankan Ikonic Media Australia for their documentary, Story of Hesara, following Hesara, a young boy with down syndrome, and the uplifting support he finds in his family and community.
Spanish actress Sonia Cuesta won the Best Actor Award for her powerful performance in short film APAGADA, about a deaf woman in a troubling domestic violence situation. Matt Williams from Queensland won Best Director for documentary Brewing Blind about a legally blind beer brewer who creates his own brewery called Blind Boy Brewing. New South Wales-based Karin Balmer and Jono Dole were the recipients of Best Producer for their documentary My Brother Hugo about Hugo, a young boy with autism, who is coming to the end of primary school, which will mean a separation from his younger brother and biggest supporter Remy. Andy Meier (NSW) was the winner of Best Screenwriter for documentary short An Accidental Artist about William Bil Anderson Jr who became an artist after suffering a traumatic brain injury from a devastating bicycle accident.
The Australian and New Zealand school section saw Kellyville High School Media Team (NSW) win the Short Film award for Eggs and Soldiers, while Iona Presentation College Year 11 ATAR Students (WA) took home the award for Best Documentary with Ben Rocks.
In the international selection, Ajani Murray from the United States won Best Short Film with Will You Carry Me and Thailand production company Ghost Cat Film took home the award for Best International Documentary for Blind.
The full prize list can be found HERE and the full winners’ list is below.
The Focus on Ability Short Film Festival began in Western Sydney as the idea of Martin Wren, CEO of NOVA Employment, whose mission is to support individuals with a disability find and keep a job in their chosen field. Since its inception, the festival has grown enormously with international screening events in Uganda, Ethiopia, Malawi, Zimbabwe USA, Spain, Kenya, and the team presenting the winning films each year at The United Nations Economic Commission for Asia and Pacific.
The festival offers inspiring stories, cultural exchange and community celebration by showcasing films that highlight the diverse experiences and achievements of people with disabilities.
For further information about Focus on Ability, visit: https://www.focusonability.com.au/
FULL WINNERS LIST
2026 Winners – PRIZE LIST
AUSTRALIAN & NEW ZEALAND SCHOOL SECTION:
Kellyville High School Media Team (NSW) – Eggs and Soldiers
JUDGES CHOICE – SHORT FILM SCHOOL WINNER
Iona Presentation College Year 11 ATAR Students (WA) – Ben Rocks
JUDGES CHOICE – DOCUMENTARY SCHOOL WINNER
AUSTRALIAN OPEN ENTRANTS:
Zac Stevenson (VIC) – Focus
NOVA EMPLOYMENT CHOICE WINNER
Alex Sideratos (NSW) – Road Trip
NOVA EMPLOYMENT CHOICE WINNER
Blairlogie Living and Learning Inc. (VIC) – The Bookshop
JUDGES CHOICE – SHORT FILM WINNER
Aurora Support Services – Frontier Academy (VIC) – The Long Goodbye
JUDGES CHOICE – DOCUMENTARY WINNER
Ikonic Media Australia (Pvt) Limited (Sri Lanka) – Story of Hesara
MOST ONLINE VOTES SHORT FILM OR DOCUMENTARY WINNER
Sonia Cuesta (Spain) – APAGADA
BEST ACTOR
Matt Williams (QLD) – Brewing Blind
BEST DIRECTOR
Karin Balmer, Jono Dole (NSW) – My Brother Hugo
BEST PRODUCER
Andy Meier (NSW) – An Accidental Artist
BEST SCREENWRITER
INTERNATIONAL SECTION
Ajani Murray (USA) – Will You Carry Me
JUDGES CHOICE – SHORT FILM INTERNATIONAL – WINNER
Ghost Cat Film (Thailand) – Blind
JUDGES CHOICE – DOCUMENTARY INTERNATIONAL – WINNER
