Sydney’s Academy-qualifying and BAFTA-recognised short film festival Flickerfest will celebrate a landmark 35 years in 2026, rolling out the red carpet in January.
Film lovers are invited to join in for a magical journey through the best short films from at home, which are guaranteed to inspire and delight. With more than 200 shorts screening across 18 competitive programmes and 6 showcase sessions, Flickerfest 2026 features a glittering line-up of cinema stars in an astounding programme.
This year there were almost 3,600 entries.
“I'm thrilled to celebrate Flickerfest’s landmark 35th birthday with our passionate audiences whose support, attendance and passion for short films have made our long life possible,” Flickerfest Director Bronwyn Kidd says.
“With a record number of entries received, Flickerfest 2026 will again deliver an outstanding programme celebrating our most talented contemporary storytellers, both here in Australia and from around the world. With so many outstanding films to choose from I am so excited to present our audiences with programmes that applaud bold, inspiring, creative and unforgettable short cinema in our truly magical iconic location at Bondi Beach.”
The Flickerfest programmes of inspiring short films will move, inspire, and entertain this year’s audiences, with the very best short films Australia and the world has to offer.
Plus, there’s a celebration of LGBTQIA+ films in competition (Rainbow Shorts), and The Best Of Shorts from the European Union, special showcases of kids and family-friendly films (FlickerKids), films about relationships (Love Bites) and comedy films (Short Laughs) will also star.
Flickerfest 2026 is on from 23 January-1 February at Bondi Beach. It hits the road for a tour from February-October at more than 45 venues across Australia.
