The Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s short film competition is back to help celebrate our 40 years of funny! We can’t wait to showcase the best in comedy on screen, and maybe even discover the next generation of Aussie comedy filmmakers. Be it your first short film or your fortieth – so long as it's funny – we want to put your story on the big screen!

Past winners include acclaimed creatives such as Oscar Winner Adam Elliot (Mary & Max, Memoir of a Snail) and renowned comedian Frank Woodley (The Adventures of Lano & Woodley).

Funny Shorts is proudly presented by the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and ACMI, proudly supported by the .au.

Awards & Prizes

Finalists will be selected by a panel of leading comedy and film industry professionals and featured in Funny Shorts screening events as part of the 2026 Festival. The winner will take home a $5,000 cash prize and the audience favourite will take home $1,000.

Rules & Terms

Funny Shorts is open to Australian filmmakers. Films must be under 10 mins in length, and be funny! For more information head over to our FAQs page: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/funny-shorts/faqs/

Detailed Conditions of Entry can be downloaded here: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/media/zqce20a5/2026-funny-shorts-conditions-of-entry.pdf

All Entries must be accompanied by the FilmFreeway Submission Declaration Form.

A physical copy of the form can be downloaded here and sent to funnyshorts@comedyfestival.com.au: https://www.comedyfestival.com.au/media/r0ypt2fb/2026-funny-shorts-submission-declaration-form.docx