The Very Short Film Festival (VSFF) is a national celebration of bold Australian storytelling, showcasing diverse voices and contemporary stories from across Australia.

We invite Australian residents of all ages and backgrounds to submit short films. Entry is free for Australian Official Competition categories.

VSFF also welcomes international submissions, featuring standout short films under five minutes from filmmakers worldwide. These films are curated as part of the VSFF program and are not part of the Official Competition.

VSFF champions emerging and established talent across all genres, from drama and comedy to documentary, animation and experimental works.

VSFF’s main categories are Signature films (2–5 minutes), created specifically for the Festival and incorporating the annual Signature. For 2026, the Signature is THREAD, which may be interpreted in any way that feels right for your story.

For filmmakers with strong short films that do not incorporate the Signature, VSFF also presents a curated Out-of-Competition selection.

🎟️ Attend VSFF 2026

Selected films premiere at the VSFF National Premiere Weekend, held in Hobart from 22–24 May 2026, before screening across Australia as part of the VSFF National Tour.

For those interested in attending, tickets and program details are available via our website: vsff.com.au/premiere

Awards & Prizes

Finalists receive national exposure through screenings at the VSFF Premiere Festival Weekend and across the VSFF National Tour, along with opportunities to connect with leading Australian film industry professionals.

Awards and opportunities may include travel support to attend the VSFF Premiere Festival Weekend, industry mentoring, national media exposure, and the handcrafted Dorothy Award, created by an Australian artist to honour creative excellence.
Awards apply to Official Competition films only.

International submissions
Selected international films will screen as part of the VSFF 2026 program, including the Hobart Premiere Festival Weekend, National Tour and online exhibition.

Selected international filmmakers may be invited to attend the VSFF Premiere Festival Weekend, with accommodation support considered.

Rules & Terms

AUSTRALIAN OFFICIAL COMPETITION

Signature films submitted to the Official Competition must be 2–5 minutes in length (including credits), incorporate the 2026 VSFF Signature “THREAD”, and be a global premiere (not previously screened, broadcast or shared online).

The Official Competition is open to Australian citizens and residents, including Australians living overseas.

Additional non-Signature and non-competitive categories (including Out-of-Competition films) may be offered. These films are not required to incorporate the annual Signature and may have different eligibility, premiere and screening conditions, as outlined in the relevant category listings.

INTERNATIONAL SUBMISSIONS (OUT OF COMPETITION)

International submissions are open to filmmakers worldwide (excluding Australian residents).

Films must be under 5 minutes in length, including credits.

The VSFF 2026 Signature “THREAD” is not required.

Premiere status is not required — films may have been previously screened, broadcast or shared online.

Entry fees apply to this category as outlined on FilmFreeway.

International submissions are curated as part of the VSFF 2026 program and are not eligible for Official Competition awards.

All other general festival terms, including rights, permissions and exhibition conditions, apply unless otherwise stated.

Submission to this category does not constitute entry into the Official Competition.
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  • Lacelid Productions

    Love love love the VSFF! We have submitted 3 times now and made the final selection twice.
    The filmmaker workshop with the other finalists was fantastic. Got to learn a lot from the judges about the insudtry and story telling in general. We are from fairly regional part of Queensland, so opportunities to talk to insustry proffessionals like that are really rare.
    But the best part of the workshop was getting to meet the other finalists ahead of the festival screening. We all started the day as strangers and were really good mates by the end.

    Cannot reccomend this festival enough for early career filmmakers.

    March 2026
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