FLiCKERFEST 2021 entries are NOW OPEN!
Celebrating its 30th year in 2021, Flickerfest has grown to become Australia's leading competitive International Short Film Festival celebrating masterful, creative and impactful storytelling and the most original voices from filmmakers across the globe. Flickerfest will screen from the 15-24 January 2021 under the stars over 10 days in the peak of the Australian summer at the iconic Bondi Beach with select highlights of the festival touring to 50+ venues Australia wide.

Flickerfest is an Academy® Award Qualifying and BAFTA Qualifying festival. Since 2003 Flickerfest has been a recognised festival by the Academy® of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. With four awards qualifying for consideration across our International, Australian and Documentary Competition categories.

For almost 3 decades Flickerfest has welcomed filmmakers from at home and around the world to celebrate their films on the big screen with our passionate and loyal audiences. Our popular screenings, gala festival events and filmmaker workshops connect filmmakers with the wider industry and each other, creating an immersive and welcoming festival experience.

Join us on the red carpet at Bondi Beach this January as Flickerfest celebrates our gala 30th birthday event!

Awards & Prizes

INTERNATIONAL AWARDS
• Flickerfest Award for Best Short Film (Academy® Award Qualifying)
• Flickerfest Special Jury Award
• Yoram Gross Award for Best Short Animation (Academy® Award Qualifying)
• Flickerfest Award for Best Short Documentary - (Academy® Award Qualifying)
• SAE Award for Best Use of Digital Technology in a Short Film
• EUDEL Award for Best EU Short Film (from the International competition)
• Azure Productions Award for Best Rainbow LGBTQi Short Film (all LGBTQI films in the international and Australian competition are considered for this award)

AUSTRALIAN AWARDS
• Flickerfest Award for Best Australian Short Film (Academy® Qualifying)
• Flickerfest Award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film
• Yoram Gross Award For Best Australian Short Animation
• John Barry Award for Best Cinematography in an Australian Short Film
• Avid Award for Best Editing in an Australian Short Film
• Avid Award for Best Original Music in an Australian Short Film
• Rebel8 Award for Outstanding Emerging Female Director

SAE FLiCKERUP AWARDS
• SAE Award for Best Australian High School/Youth Short Film
• Yoram Gross Award for Best Australian High School/Youth Short Animation
• Avid Award for Best Editing in an Australian High School/Youth Short Film
• Parkers Award for Best Australian Primary School/Youth Short Film

Plus many other cash and industry prizes.

Industry and cash prizes will be awarded of approx $40,000 AUD in value.

Rules & Terms

To be eligible for Flickerfest film competitions all shorts must be no more than 35 minutes in length.

All selected films must be available for screening on H264 or ProRes file.

All productions screening at Flickerfest 2021 must have been completed within 2 years of the entry closing date.

All films must be in English or have English subtitles.

DUE TO THE COMPETITIVE NATURE OF FLiCKERFEST, WE STRONGLY PREFERENCE AUSTRALIAN FILMS THAT ARE AUSTRALIAN PREMIERES, with exception of other Academy® Qualifying Australian festivals that have screened films in competition behind a paywall or password protected system.

WE STRONGLY PREFERENCE INTERNATIONAL SHORTS THAT ARE AUSTRALIAN PREMIERES

FOR ALL COMPETITIONS WE REQUIRE FILMS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN BROADCAST IN AUSTRALIA OR MADE AVAILABLE PUBLICLY ON THE INTERNET. *In consideration of current COVID times our regulations for the 2021 year will allow films to enter in competition that have screened online at other Academy® Qualifying film festivals, in Australia and officially selected at film festivals internationally provided they have been screened behind a paywall or password protected system for a limited time only.

Following the festival, a small selection of highlights screened in the International and Australian competitions plus some in out-of-competition programmes will be toured around Australia. If your film is unable to tour it WILL remain eligible for competition. All touring films will be paid screening royalties.

There are no premiere requirements for SAE FlickerUp our national competition for young Australians 18 or under.
17 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • John Luke Miraflor

    Flickerfest rocks! People are lovely and the festival showcases the best short films from Australia and the world.

    July 2020
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  • Jadai Films

    An amazing festival, always a highlight each year. Very grateful for all their support of our projects.

    July 2020
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  • Asaf Yecheskel

    While we didn’t get the chance to attend the festival, communication was great and we were well informed. Thank you for selecting "Moon Drops" by Yoram Ever-Hadani. Hope we can collaborate in the future again.

    March 2020
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  • RIESS HILL

    Unfortunately we couldn't attend the festival, but we were thrilled to be in it and they were wonderful to deal with.

    February 2020
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  • Alice von Gwinner

    Thank you so much for having me! As a filmmaker with a film in the international competition I experienced a very warm welcome, sold out screenings with impressive films, inspiring talks with the audience and the other filmmakers from Australia and around the world. One of the best film festival weeks ever :)

    February 2020
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