by Tom Farrelly
The Opening Night of the 2026 Red Poppy Film Festival was a resounding success, a feat that all involved should be endlessly proud of. The beautiful Art Gallery of NSW played host, with hundreds of servicemen and women gathering in ceremonial dress before the doors opened on a perfect summer’s evening.
Before guests descended to the Sydney Cinémathèque theatre for the awards and screenings, they were treated to a special display of military inspired artwork, setting the tone for what would become an unforgettable evening.
Festival Director Brooke Sporer and Executive Chair Warwick Young spoke elegantly, introducing the occasion and reinforcing the significance of the Red Poppy Film Festival. Vice Admiral Mark David Hammond AO perhaps said it best, reflecting on the vital relationship between the military and filmmakers. For many deployed servicemen and women, he explained, watching a series like NCIS: Sydney or an Australian war film can create a powerful sense of connection — a feeling of being seen and understood by the nation they serve. It was a poignant reminder of the very real impact storytelling.
Among the evening’s standout video pieces was the short documentary Michael’s Story, spotlighting veteran Michael Albrecht and his experience with the Screen Warriors program. Screen Warriors is an initiative of the Veterans Film Foundation, the program provides national training, mentorship and job placement opportunities for transitioning Australian Defence Force personnel, helping them forge new careers in the film and television industry. Speaking about his time working on a film set in Adelaide, Albrecht noted the many transferable skills between military life and film production, from chain of command and discipline to the importance of forming strong relationships on set.
Prior to the screening, the festival awards were distributed. Mark Bernard won best animation for the contemplative New Life. Mark portrays so much simply with the unchanged, dour expression on his protagonist’s face. The world changes immensely around her as she can’t help but look away. A short and poignant piece.
Dylan Nicholls won best short film for his 14 minute documentary Bringing His Spirit Home. The story of Gomeroi man, Peter Milliken who travels to France to visit the grave of his great-uncle, an Aboriginal WWI soldier, and bring his spirit back to Australia. Peter is a brilliant subject, he’s a fish out of water as he charmingly stumbles his way through official proceedings in France in order to visit his hero’s resting place. Peter oozes the laidback charisma of your favourite uncle that you’d love to have a beer with. The impact he has on the French locals is inevitable as he’s determined to share his own uncle’s story and his indigenous culture. It’s evident that the French feel the same as the audience, like they have known Peter for a long time and they all just want the best for him.
The Frank Van Norton Prize for Best Feature was awarded to Tom Peppiatt’s My Husband the Child Soldier, with the audience treated to a screening of the documentary on the night — the undeniable crown jewel of the evening.
Peppiatt’s 54-minute character study reinforces the idea that real life is often far more compelling than fiction. My Husband the Child Soldier tells the extraordinary story of Aki Ra, a Cambodian man and former Khmer Rouge child soldier who has dedicated his life to clearing unexploded landmines left behind from the war.
Cambodia, like many nations touched by conflict, continues to live with the consequences long after peace has been declared. Aki Ra’s friends and neighbours have lost limbs after unknowingly stepping on buried landmines. Warning signs marked with red skulls dot the countryside, alerting locals and tourists to their presence. Yet for many impoverished communities, there is little choice but to live among these danger zones — with children often playing in what are effectively active minefields.
Some sequences are genuinely heart-stopping, as Aki Ra calmly digs up ageing landmines using little more than a stick and a shovel. These moments rival the bomb disposal scenes in The Hurt Locker for sheer tension. With no protective gear — often wearing only thongs, jeans and a T-shirt — Aki Ra relies solely on the knowledge and experience gained from the tragic reality that he once laid thousands of these explosives himself as a child.
Aki Ra’s story is one of redemption, heartbreak and forgiveness. It is difficult not to be inspired by his work, and it truly needs to be seen to be believed. If My Husband the Child Soldier is any indication, the Red Poppy Film Festival is boasting an exceptionally strong program this year.
It’s worth mentioning that remarkably, the Red Poppy Film Festival operates entirely without paid staff. It exists due to the generosity of volunteers who devote endless hours of their time, driven by a shared belief that the Red Poppy Film Festival represents something larger than themselves.
The Red Poppy Film Festival continues throughout the weekend, and tickets can be purchased here.
