St Kilda Film Festival

St Kilda Film Festival is Australia’s longest-running short film festival and one of the country’s most important platforms for emerging filmmakers. Held annually in Melbourne’s beachside suburb of St Kilda, the festival is dedicated to showcasing short-form cinema across fiction, documentary, animation, and experimental film.

The festival presents a curated program of Australian short films alongside international selections, industry premieres, and special screenings. It is highly regarded for supporting emerging talent and providing pathways into Australia’s screen industry through exposure, networking, and industry recognition.

A key feature of the festival is its competitive awards program, which includes categories such as Best Short Film, Best Direction, and technical craft awards. Winning films often gain eligibility for Academy Awards® consideration, adding significant prestige to the event.

In addition to screenings, the festival includes filmmaker Q&As, panel discussions, workshops, and networking events designed to connect creatives with industry professionals, producers, and distributors.

The festival plays an important role in Victoria’s screen industry ecosystem, encouraging innovation in storytelling and providing a launchpad for new Australian filmmaking talent. Its combination of public screenings and industry development activities makes it both accessible and professionally significant.