Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival is the biggest short film festival in regional Australia with over 100 short films, masterclasses, events and panels over three days in Gympie, Queensland.

Celebrated as ‘triumphant’ by Australia’s ScreenHub, our festival is dedicated to inspiring and connecting audiences through short films that champion the richness of the human spirit. The small town of Gympie comes alive with film lovers from far and wide every year in a joyous celebration of storytelling.

Heart of Gold lovingly curates sessions of short films from all genres that best capture our vision to screen films that are heart-warming, thought-provoking and entertaining. The films can be edgy, they can be groundbreaking and they can be downright hilarious – as long as they beat with a good, strong heart.

The festival glows with a widely-renowned mix of country hospitality and global ideas—offering homestays and transport for visiting filmmakers, engaging conversations with interviewers and locals, and plenty of opportunity to mingle with filmmakers, speakers, hosts and locals at the festival’s own Gold Bar.

We love our filmmakers in attendance and if your film is selected for our program all effort is given to allow you the time to introduce, and discuss your film in front of a live audience.

Our unique selection process involves submitted films being viewed by multiple community screener groups across Queensland, whose feedback informs selection for the Festival program. This inclusive process catches niche gems and represents a broader spectrum of film taste.

‘Heart of Gold is a rare festival, in that its remit is focused but also their quality of content that they screen is stellar.’ (Festival Formula)

Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival strongly encourages submissions from filmmakers who identify as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, female, LGBTQIA+, living with a disability, regionally based and culturally and linguistically diverse.

Awards & Prizes

Films selected for the 2025 program will be eligible for a number of awards. Selected shorts compete for a range of jury awards, which this year includes:
Best Short Film $2,000
Best Australian Film $1,000
Best Documentary Film $1,000
Best Female Director $1,000
Best First Nations Director $1,000
Emerging Director Award (not having been a finalist or winner in any other film competition) $1,000
Audience Choice Award $500

In addition, we also award prizes to the best young filmmakers from Secondary Schools, with the following categories on offer with no entry fee:
Best National Student Film $500
Best Local Student Film (Gympie Regional Council local government area) $500

Rules & Terms

1. Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival is open to all film genres and films from all countries. However, film content should be in line with the festival’s ethos and vision. We are seeking films that are: positive, hilarious, witty, whimsical, nourishing, well-crafted, inspiring, thought-provoking, entertaining, joyous, uplifting, quirky, enlightening, ground breaking.

If you are unsure of eligibility, please contact program@heartofgold.com.au

2. The producer grants the Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival the rights to exhibit the film at the 2025 Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival and associated events conducted by the Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival.

3. The producer warrants to the Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival that they have obtained all the necessary permissions to enter this film and that the film does not infringe the rights, including copyright, of any third party. This includes the use of music and literary material (i.e. if your film is based on a novel or poem).

4. Entries will not be considered valid until the entry fee has been paid in full. The entry fee is non-refundable.

5. Stills of selected films may also be shown on the Festival website and social media platforms, and publicity/promo material including press releases, festival brochures and other materials.

6. All films screened at Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival must have been completed within two years of the entry closing date.

7. Entries cannot be withdrawn after submission.

8. If your film is selected for the competition you will be notified prior to the Festival via the email address supplied in the submission.

9. Materials submitted in the initial entry process will not be returned.

10. Films in languages other than English must be supplied with English subtitles.

11. The Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival will only screen productions finished as a high-resolution Apple ProRes, H.264 or MP4 digital file (the following codecs will NOT be accepted FLV, WMV, AVI, or any low res files). Please also ensure your films are supplied with a stereo mix only and not a Dolby 5.1 mix) To ensure your entry is screened correctly, you must also include ratio details (e.g. 1920 x 1080). Unfortunately we cannot screen DCPs or DVDs.

12. Your film may be considered for a prize in an amount, and judged in a manner, at the Festival’s discretion. Films may be screened without the producer winning a prize or award. The producer is not entitled to compensation for the screening of their film at the festival.

13. By submitting your project, you acknowledge that the Festival will not pay to present your work.

14. All Festival scheduling is purely at the discretion of the Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival staff and Board.

Please note: BY ENTERING A FILM IN THIS FESTIVAL YOU AGREE TO THE ABOVE TERMS.
Contact program@heartofgold.com.au with any concerns.
21 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Yvette Turnbull

    We had such a lovely time up in Gympie at Heart Of Gold. We felt so loved and looked after by the dedicated volunteers who housed us and championed our film. Such a beautiful community and such a genuine festival that lives up to its values! I can only hope to return again!

    April 2025
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  • Piyush Thakur

    Heart of Gold Film Festival truly lives up to its name. Attending in person, I experienced warm hospitality from a local family who hosted me and took me around beautiful Gympie. The festival’s selection process is particularly unique—community volunteers first watch and shortlist films, giving the program a truly grassroots feel before the final lineup is chosen. This approach results in a heartwarming collection of shorts from around the world, enhanced by the genuine warmth and intention of the organizers. I look forward to returning and reconnecting with the wonderful people I met in this welcoming corner of Australia.

    January 2025
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  • Jannah Dryden

    Fantastic communication and a very well organised event. We were so proud to have our home grown Far North Queensland short comedy film selected, only wish we could have made it down for the event. Thanks Heart of Gold!

    October 2024
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  • Marcel Hobi

    Many thanks for allowing me to present Love Bubbles at your well-organised festival. Unfortunately I was not able to attend.

    October 2024
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  • Milena Bennett

    This festival is in a lovely space with a bar and food outside with pretty lights. The films were very high quality and well curated. But, it very much feels like a festival for the people of the town. I think the festival needs to put a little more effort into the filmmakers. We weren't introduced to the runners of the festival or any other filmmakers. We came a long way and weren't asked to be part of the Q&A session with filmmakers or have a Q&A after our screening. Luckily we knew some the people who made 'Ashes' and had a fun opening night, especially with the photobooth! I think if the festival makes some small changes it would make it a lot more worth it for the filmmakers to attend.

    October 2024
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