by FIlmInk Staff
Celebrating 35 years in 2026, Bondi Pavilion Bondi Beach, 23rd January – 1st February 2026 National Tour: February – October 2026, 40+ venues Australia-wide
After a highly successful 10 day festival at Bondi, the 35th annual FLiCKERFEST International and Australian awards were announced this evening at a star-studded ceremony at Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach.
Attended by celebrated guests from the Australian film industry, filmmakers and jury, the Closing Night ceremony honoured the esteemed entrants in this year’s competition and FLiCKERFEST’s Academy® Qualifying Awards, including the Flickerfest Award for Best International Short Film, Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation, LUMIX Award for Best Australian Short Film & Flickerfest Award for Best Documentary.
The Flickerfest Short Film Awards continue to cement the festival’s global position as a leading International Short film festival on the world stage. Following the ceremony, a selection of award-winning films screened before the Closing Night Party took place.
Flickerfest now hits the road on a 40+ venue national tour to all states & territories across Australia.
And the winners are:
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION AWARD WINNERS
Flickerfest Award for Best International Short Film (Academy® Qualifying) My Plastic Mother (Indonesia) Writer/Director: Amar Haikal | Producer: Michael Rainheart
Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animated Short Film (Academy® Qualifying) Radix (Germany) Writer/Director/Producer: Anne Breymann
Flickerfest Special Jury Award Sundown (Belgium) Writer/Director: Lucien Lepoutre | Producer: Annabella Nezri
Honourable Mention of the Jury for International Short Film Smells Like Kids Spirit (France) Writer/Director: Aude Pépin | Writers: Louise Groult, Julien Guetta | Producer: Clément Bancel
Honourable Mention of the Jury for International Short Film Vultures (France, South Africa) Writer/Director: Dian Weys | Producers: Émilie Dubois, Anais Bertrand, Le Roux Fourie
DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION AWARD WINNERS
Flickerfest Award for Best Documentary Short Film (Academy® Qualifying) Winter in March (Armenia, Estonia) Writer/Director: Natalia Mirzoyan| Producers: Armine Harutyunyan, Kadriann Kibus
Flickerfest Special Jury Award for Documentary Short No Two Ways (United Kingdom) Director/Producer: Glen Fulthorpe
Honourable Mention of the Jury Bringing His Spirit Home (Australia) Director/Producer: Dylan Nicholls | Producer: Sophia Carolyn Wallace
RAINBOW LGBTQi COMPETITION AWARD WINNERS
Azure Productions Award for Best Rainbow Short Bleat! (Malaysia, Phillipines) Writer/Director: Ananth Subramaniam | Producer: Choo Mun Bel, Bradley Liew, Dominique Welinski
Special Jury Award For Rainbow Short Film Sleazy Tiger (United Kingdom) Writer/Director: James Ley | Producer: Jack Cowhig, Laura McBride
AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AWARD WINNERS
LUMIX Award for Best Australian Short Film (Academy® Qualifying) Boy On Fire Writer/Director: Alies Sluiter | Producer: William Littleton
Spectrum Films Award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film Director: Juliette Strangio for Learning to Eat Cake
Yoram Gross Award for Best Australian Animated Short Film Trading Cards Writer/Director/Producer: Radheya Jang | Producer: Jay Jay Jegathesan
AFTRS Award for Best Screenplay in an Australian Short Film Writer: Stephen Packer for Alpha Test
John Barry Award for Best Cinematography in an Australian Short Film Cinematographer: Dylan Rizzo for Daddy’s Little Meatball
Avid Award for Best Editing in an Australian Short Film Editor: Christine Cheung for Writers in Love
Avid Award for Best Original Music in an Australian Short Film Composer: Louis Frere-Harvey for Flame
Rebel8 Award for Outstanding Emerging Female Director in Honour of Samantha Rebillet Director: Lianne Mackessy for Tuesday Tuesday
Specsavers Award for Best Australian Comedy Short Film Laterz Writer/Director: Chelsea Ingram | Writer/Producer: Nora Alalou
Waverley Council Award for Best Local Short Film Daddy’s Little Meatball Writer/Director: Yael Grunseit
SPECSAVERS / FLiCKERFEST TVC AWARD WINNER Should’ve Gone To Specsavers Audience Choice Award The Garbologist Writer/Animator: Sammy Lewis
FLiCKERUP YOUTH COMPETITION AWARD WINNERS AFTRS FlickerUp Award for Best Youth Short Film Light In Dark Places Writer/Director/Producer: Sam Clarke
Yoram Gross FlickerUp Award for Best Youth Animated Short Film Turn Off The Lights Writer/Director/Producer: Peta Margaret Coleman
Avid FlickerUp Award for Best Editing in A Youth Short Film Red String (紅線) Writer/Director/Producer: Leo Jiaming Pan | Writer: Winny He Karma
FlickerUp Jury Award for Youth Short Film Colo(u)rful 3D Square Writer/Director/Producer: Dylan Quick
FLiCKERFEST’s Festival Director BRONWYN KIDD has said: We are thrilled that the 35th Flickerfest 2026 has been such a success, with many filmmakers present to introduce their films, passionate crowds and great enthusiasm expressed for the programmes screened. It’s been great to see short films so warmly embraced by audiences across our ten-day event. I would like to congratulate all of the films selected for Flickerfest in competition this year, our jury for their dedication and all of tonight’s award winners.
