The West End Film Festival (WEFF) is bringing Brisbane audiences the best in local Australian short films! WEFF offers local Australian filmmakers an opportunity to showcase their short films for Brisbane audiences in Brisbane's most eclectic neighbourhood, West End.

Join us for a unique micro-cinema experience across West End, with intimate pop-up screenings that celebrate indie filmmaking in all its forms. Each screening block will focus on a different genre such as horror, drama, sci-fi, romance, action, fantasy, comedy, documentary, experimental - and more!

Festival Dates: June 27 & 28, 2026

We’re accepting short films up to 20 minutes from February to May, 2026.

Submissions are open to Australian filmmakers only.

Don’t miss your chance to showcase your work at one of Brisbane’s most exciting indie film festivals.

Submit now via FilmFreeway!

Being selected for the West End Film Festival means your film is part of a curated lineup showcasing the best of Brisbane’s indie filmmaking scene. This festival is all about celebrating and supporting Brisbane’s filmmaking talent. Whether your film is brand new or a past gem that deserves the spotlight again, we can’t wait to share it with our community.

If your film is chosen, you’ll have the opportunity to:

-Screen your work in front of engaged, cinema-loving audiences.

-Connect with fellow filmmakers and industry creatives at exclusive events.

All films produced between 2023-2026 will be in consideration to win awards, including:

Best Film – Selected by our programming team.

Audience Choice – Voted on by festival attendees.

Best Genre (Drama, Sci Fi, Romance, etc.)

Entry Requirements:

Films must either be made in South-East Queensland OR be an Australian production.

Short films MUST be under 20 minutes in length

Films from all genres will be accepted and we welcome first time film makers!

We welcome submissions of films made at any time, including past classics from Brisbane’s indie scene. However, please note that only films produced after 2023 will be eligible for awards.

Older films will still be considered for inclusion in the official selection and screened as part of the festival.

Filmmakers must have the necessary rights to all footage, music, and other media used in their film, ensuring full compliance with copyright laws.

All films must be submitted by 25th May, 2026

Selected films are expected to...

- Fill out all sections of the FilmFreeway submission form.

- Provide contact details; email, phone number, and contact name.

- Provide a high quality version of their film for screening.

- Upload a minimum of 4 high resolution images for online promotion
(can be BTS photographs).

- Participate in evaluation and feedback post WEFF through completing our survey

- And wherever possible, attend the festival in person!

Spread the word! <3

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Lisa Bishop

    Very quick response and excellent communication. Lovely event and we were so pleased to receive the Audience Award for Dragon's Breath. Thanks!

    July 2025
  • Winnie Mzembe

    Was a wonderful experience to invite our friends to come watch our film in our local city where part of the film was shot! The laughter in the room during our screening was great and I was really proud of all the work we had done. Thank you Westend Film Festival. I think our film might have fit better into the comedy but it added shade and colour to the romance section! What a great festival!

    July 2025
  • Sian & Joel Stephen Fleming

    Great eclectic event. A wide array of screenings and events and a great location!

    June 2025
  • Martin Doyle

    Thanks to the great organisers of WEFF for screening my film 'A Dog's Tale' at West End Brisbane for their festival event! Wish I could have seen more screenings than I did, but had a blast attending the festival with friends and family. Thanks again for your positivity and support to Independant film makers. Much appreciated! ✌❤👍

    June 2025
  • Joshua Allan

    Was a pleasure to have my film 2:32am screen at the festival, super friendly staff and some great short films screened!

    November 2022