by FIlmInk Staff
TROPFEST COMES HOME TO THE DOMAIN
WITH A NEW SATURDAY NIGHT DATE
WORLD’S LARGEST SHORT FILM FESTIVAL UNVEILS 2027 PLANS
PRESENTED BY COMMBANK. WATCH IT ON YOUTUBE.
Tropfest is coming home to The Domain.
The world’s largest short film festival will return to its spiritual home in Sydney on Saturday 13 February, over Valentine’s Day weekend, moving to a Saturday night for the first time in its 34-year history.
Tropfest Founder and Festival Director, John Polson, Tropfest Foundation Chair, Sarah Murdoch, and the NSW Premier Chris Minns made the announcement at a celebratory launch at The Domain in the heart of Sydney. The return will bring a free day-to-night festival to The Domain, with live entertainment and curated food and drink offerings, culminating in a Saturday night screening of 16 world premieres under the stars.
The Premier also announced the renewal of the NSW Government’s support of Tropfest with $2.7 million over three years, ensuring the festival remains a staple free event during Sydney’s summer, drawing locals and tourists, and allowing opportunities for young creatives.
NSW Premier Chris Minns said: “Tropfest is an Aussie cultural institution, and for more than three decades it has been a launchpad for filmmakers.
“It’s also one of the drawcard free events during the summer, and we’re proud to support its return to The Domain.
“We’re backing Tropfest to support local creative talent and showcase NSW to the world.”
John Polson said: “For 14 years, I’ve dreamed of bringing Tropfest back to our spiritual home — The Domain in Sydney. Some of the best nights of my life have happened here, sitting under the stars watching emerging filmmakers share their work with a mammoth audience. There’s nothing quite like the sound of a crowd that size laughing together, or the extraordinary silence when a film has everyone completely gripped. It can be breathtaking to be a part of.
“The NSW Government’s three-year commitment gives us the certainty to plan ahead and create more opportunities for emerging filmmakers, while keeping Tropfest free for audiences. I’m hugely grateful to Premier Chris Minns and his team for backing Tropfest’s future.
“I’m also deeply grateful to Sarah Murdoch, my fellow Tropfest Foundation board members and our partners for helping make our return to The Domain happen and excited by what this night could mean for the next generation of Australian filmmakers. Tropfest has always been a place where anyone with a story to tell and the determination to pick up a camera can ‘have a go’ and reach a huge audience. On Saturday 13 February, we get to fill The Domain again, celebrate the filmmakers and discover whose story stays with us long after the night is over.”
Legendary Australian filmmaker and longtime Tropfest supporter George Miller also today officially announced that the prestigious Byron Kennedy Award for the pursuit of excellence will have a new home at Tropfest, with the recipient to be honoured during the festival on Saturday 13 February. Established in 1984, the Byron Kennedy Award is named in honour of Miller’s late filmmaking partner and Mad Max co-creator, with previous recipients including Jane Campion, Bruna Papandrea, Rolf de Heer, Rachel Perkins, Greig Fraser, Animal Logic, Ivan Sen, Baz Luhrmann, Catherine Martin and Tropfest founder John Polson.
Miller said: “I’m so happy that the Byron Kennedy Award has been welcomed into the safe haven of Tropfest. I would follow John Polson anywhere… He is the Benevolent Pied Piper leading us all forward into the Adventures of Movie Making.”
Film submissions open on Tuesday 1 December and close on Tuesday 22 December 2026 (early bird $65 entry fee) or Tuesday 5 January 2027 ($95 entry fee). Filmmakers are required to create a brand-new short film of seven minutes or less featuring the 2027 Tropfest Signature Item (TSI): “Necklace”. The signature item helps ensure each film is made specifically for Tropfest. Marking a powerful return in 2026, Tropfest received over 700 submissions for the 2026 festival, near an all-time Tropfest record. Finalist films will once again be selected from hundreds of entries to have their world premiere at the live, free-to-the-public event.
The 16 finalist films will screen before thousands of film lovers and a jury of celebrated Australian and international talent, with the winners announced live on the night.
Major partners return to support the not-for-profit cultural institution, including Presenting Partner CommBank and Official Streaming and Video Platform YouTube, as well as Official Airline Partner Qantas, Media Supporting Partner Nine Entertainment and Official Jewellery Partner Pandora.
Prizes for winning filmmakers include a share of $100,000 in the form of the CommBank Tropfest Emerging Filmmakers Fund. First, second and third prizes will be $50,000, $30,000 and $20,000 respectively, with Tropfest and CommBank actively encouraging winners to utilise those amounts towards career development and their next projects.
Tropfest Foundation Chair, Sarah Murdoch said: “Many will remember the excitement of gathering for Tropfest at The Domain. We are thrilled to be returning to this iconic location and I want to thank Premier Chris Minns and major partners CommBank and YouTube for making this possible. Together we are creating opportunities for the next generation of Australian storytellers to be discovered, to reach audiences and to grow their careers.”
Di Everett, General Manager of Brand and Sponsorship at CommBank, said: “We saw just how much the community embraced the return of this iconic event earlier this year, and we’re delighted to be back supporting Tropfest for a second year. We’re also proud to bring back the $100,000 CommBank Tropfest Emerging Filmmakers Fund for 2027, providing practical support to three filmmakers to help them keep creating and take the next step in their careers. For us, that’s what this partnership is all about – backing emerging talent not just on the night, but in what comes next.”
Country Director for YouTube Australia and New Zealand, Ed Miles said: “The return of Tropfest to The Domain in Sydney marks an exciting milestone for Australian storytelling. YouTube is honoured to be the digital video home, connecting Australian filmmakers to domestic and global audiences. Our partnership isn’t just about livestreaming a single night – it’s a year-round investment in the future of our screen industry. When we see that over 95 percent of viewers watching Tropfest 2026 films came from overseas, it proves that local, diverse stories have a hungry, global audience waiting on YouTube.
“Through our upcoming creator skilling workshops in Sydney and Brisbane, and virtually, we are actively equipping emerging filmmakers with the tools to take their craft from local screens to millions worldwide. You can jump onto Tropfest’s YouTube channel now to catch up on all the incredible 2026 finalist films – and get ready to watch the magic of the 2027 main event with the exclusive livestream in February. Anyone with a camera and a story has a direct pipeline to a global stage through YouTube, and we can’t wait to see how emerging filmmakers bring this year’s signature item ‘Necklace’ to life.”
The iconic short film festival will continue its decades-long tradition as a defining catalyst for Australian storytellers, helping launch the careers of some of the country’s most celebrated voices including Nash Edgerton (“Deadline”, “Mr Inbetween”), Bruna Papandrea (“Paris Texas”, “Big Little Lies”), Robert Connolly (“Rust Bucket”, “The Dry”), Alethea Jones (“Lemonade Stand”, “Spider-Noir”), Genevieve Clay-Smith, director and co-founder of Bus Stop Films (“Be My Brother”), Damon Gameau (“Animal Beatbox”, “That Sugar Film”), Patrick Hughes (“The Lighter”, “War Machine”), Justin Kurzel (“Meeting Misty Rain”, “Snowtown”) and countless more.
Launched in 1993 by Polson, Tropfest was started “by accident” with a screening for 200 people at Tropicana Caffé in Darlinghurst, Sydney. Since those humble beginnings, Tropfest quickly grew to become the largest platform for short films in the world, with tens of thousands of people recorded at the live events where 16 finalist films are screened to the public, making Tropfest one of the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest cultural icons. With broadcast and online audiences including the official Tropfest YouTube channel, this number has now swelled to millions across the globe.
Since the relaunch of Tropfest and partnering with YouTube, the Tropfest YouTube channel has garnered more than three million hours of watch time and added more than 128,000 new subscribers showcasing Tropfest’s global reach and the voracious appetite for short film.
Tropfest Roughcut, supported by Screen Australia and YouTube, will return to the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA) from 10-12 February 2027 for three days exploring the craft and business of filmmaking. The program will include George Miller: Movies and Stories, an intimate conversation between Miller and Polson.
This year also sees the return of Trop Jr, the world’s largest short film festival for kids, designed to champion young voices and serve as a launchpad for the next generation of storytellers. Powered by the Australian Children’s Television Foundation and produced by the Tropfest Foundation, Trop Jr is a national short film festival for Australians aged 15 and under. With submissions open until Friday 23 October, Trop Jr provides an accessible national platform for students to create and share work. The new look Trop Jr festival will run across the school year, culminating in a live Grand Finals event at The Astor Theatre in Melbourne on Friday 4 December.
The Tropfest Foundation, a permanent not-for-profit organisation dedicated to providing year-round opportunities for the next generation of storytellers, is led by Chair Sarah Murdoch, actor and producer Bryan Brown, Chair of the NRL Peter V’landys, TTG CEO Richard Weinberg and Polson.
Want to get a taste of Tropfest before February? Head over to Tropfest’s YouTube channel and see the extensive library of previous finalists and winners. Tropfest entrants will be able to submit via YouTube.
Fans can head to www.tropfest.com or follow @tropfest on socials to sign up for more information and be the first to hear festival details and regular updates on all things Trop!
