CELEBRATING 35 years in 2026, Flickerfest remains Australia’s premier Academy-qualifying and BAFTA-recognised short film festival, showcasing A-list shorts selected from a record-breaking 3,700-plus entries.
Flickerfest returns to Sawtell Cinema on Saturday, 28 March at 7pm, and the Jetty Memorial Theatre in Coffs Harbour on Friday 10 and Saturday 11 April at 7:30pm, bringing world-class short films straight from the Bondi festival competitions.
Festival Director Bronwyn Kidd said audiences will experience entertaining, inspiring, and award-winning shorts that highlight the pinnacle of Australian and international short filmmaking, celebrating bold storytelling and creative vision.
Flickerfest will roll into Sawtell with its ‘Short Laughs Comedy’ programme, “a riotous collection of off-kilter Flickerfest shorts” from Australia and around the world.
‘Laterz’, winner of Best Comedy Short at Flickerfest 2026, will take patrons on a wild and hilarious ride with three misguided rappers while the delightful French comedy ‘Bowl Cut’ centres around a summer haircut gone awry, prompting seven-year-old Suzie to take matters into her own hands as family tensions rise.
‘Odd Socks’ stars Sandi Toksvig (QI, The Great British Bake Off) in a riotous comedy that follows a maverick detective investigating a sock-monster murder in a world where humans and sock-monsters coexist.
Friday, 10 April at the Jetty Memorial Theatre honours Australia’s unique identity and culture with the Best of Australian Shorts.
A collection of stunning shorts is supported by big names both in front of and behind the camera.
Highlights include the moving drama ‘Tuesday Tuesday’, which won best female director at Flickerfest 2026 and stars Peter Phelps (Stingers) in a stellar performance as a man whose world is fading.
‘Packed Away’ is the directorial debut of actress Michala Banas (Always Greener, Mcleod’s Daughters) who shines both on and off camera in this personal and intimate drama, while actor Matt Day (Rake) writes and directs the comedy ‘Baby Shower’ starring the legendary Hugo Weaving in a dark comedy about family friendship and unexpected happening at this familiar ritual.
Returning Flickerfest alumni Jesse Vogelaar brings ‘The Suit’, a sharp and hilarious comedy featuring award winning actress Kat Stewart and much-loved comedian Colin Lane, delivering big laughs with plenty of bite.
On Saturday, 11 April the Jetty Memorial Theatre patrons take a trip around the world with the Best Of International Shorts programme.
Among a host of international highlights enjoying their Australian premieres is the delightful Oscar-nominated ‘’A Friend of Dorothy’, starring UK acting royalty Miriam Margolyes and Stephen Fry, in a heartwarming journey where friendship is found in the most unexpected places.
Another Oscar nomination is the powerful and intimate ‘The Singers’, starring an eclectic cast of non-actors in a moving tribute to friendship.
Also featured are Indonesian film ‘My Plastic Mother’, winner of Flickerfest 2026 Best International Short Film, ‘Radix’, winner of Best International Animation, a visually striking and imaginative animated short, and actress Renee Zellweger’s directorial debut ‘They’, a fun film about coming together in trying times.
“Flickerfest is a really fun and entertaining festival of short films, hand-picked from our Oscar-qualifying competition in our 35th year,” Ms Kidd said.
“We hope people can come along and connect with like-minded film lovers.
“We are thrilled to be returning to Coffs Harbour and Sawtell.”
Sawtell tickets can be purchased at www.flickerfest.com.au/tour/sawtell and Coffs Harbour tickets at www.flickerfest.com.au/tour/sawtell.
By Andrew VIVIAN
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