CURRENT CALL:

We are now seeking shorts and features for this year's London Australian Film Festival, which runs from 16-19 July at Finsbury Park Picturehouse (London, UK).

Eligible films can be any length, but MUST have significant Australian content (either set in Australia, or featuring Australian characters abroad), and have had its first public screening after 1 January 2025. Films that do not meet these requirements will not be considered, and entry fees will not be refunded. Please see Rules & Terms for full details.

ABOUT LAFF:

The London Australian Film Festival is the premier showcase of new and classic Australian cinema in the United Kingdom. Since it was established (as Oz Film Festival) in 2017, it has hosted annual festivals at Regent Street Cinema, Picturehouse Central, the Garden Cinema and Finsbury Park Picturehouse.

ABOUT LAFS:

The London Australian Film Society (LAFS) is dedicated to keeping Australian films on the big screens of London, and is run by a group of passionate and driven London-based Aussies, working in various fields including Film and Television, Education, and Publishing.

The society screened its first film on 20 July 1973 in the Cinema Hall of Australia House, the home of the Australian High Commission on London’s Strand, where it held regular events and hosted visiting filmmakers for over three decades.

Today, the society is entirely self-funded and volunteer-run, with the current team organising events at venues across central London since 2009. As well as one-off screenings throughout the year, LAFS hosts the London Australian Film Festival every summer, with the ANZ Film Festival held annually on the weekend between Australia Day and Waitangi Day.

Awards & Prizes

LAFF has awarded the Cris Jones Debut Director Prize at every annual festival since 2018.

Past winners: David Vincent Smith (He Ain't Heavy, LAFF 2025); Mark Leonard Winter (The Rooster, LAFF 2024); Jub Clerc (Sweet As, LAFF 2023); Renèe Webster (How to Please A Woman, LAFF 2022); Imogen McCluskey (Suburban Wildlife, LAFF 2019); Priscilla Cameron (The Butterfly Tree, LAFF 2018).

More info: https://www.londonaustfilm.com/cris-jones-debut-director-prize

Rules & Terms

Submitted films which do not meet the following requirements will not be considered, and entry fees will not be refunded.

For LAFF 2026, we are seeking films of any length, with significant Australian content (either set in Australia, or featuring Australian characters abroad).

Submissions are open to short and feature length films of any genre - including fiction, comedy, horror, sci-fi, documentary, animation, and more.

LAFS/LAFF only screen films that are produced (or co-produced) in Australia, or are otherwise concerned with Australians at home or abroad.

PREMIERE STATUS
Films must have been completed and/or first publicly screened after 1st January 2025, and whilst we don't require premiere status, we do give preference to UK/Euro/International premieres.

FORMATS AND CAPTIONS
Should your film be selected, you will be required to provide a DCP and/or Quicktime ProRes file to allow us to screen your film.

All entries must be in English or contain English subtitles if not in the English language. Non-English entries without subtitles will not be considered.

SELECTION
While we do often contact producers directly, we only accept unsolicited films via FilmFreeway.

All submissions are fully considered and curated by our programmers. Please note that individual feedback on non-successful submissions will be available upon request only.

Films selected for the London Australian Film Festival will be notified by 31 May 2026. Films may also be considered for screening at our one-off events throughout the year, and if you have key cast or crew based in the UK, and/or travelling to the UK in the next 12 months, please let us know.

LAFS/LAFF does not pay screening fees for submitted and accepted short films. We reserve the right to negotiate screening fees for feature films, but this is not guaranteed. By submitting your film via FilmFreeway, you confirm ownership of UK screening rights.

TERMS
Entry fees are non refundable, and only completed entries with paid submission fees will be processed and considered for screening.

Only completed films may be submitted and will be considered.

Films that do not meet the above conditions will be rejected without further notice, and entry fees will be retained.