The winners of the annual Flickerfest International and Australian Awards have been revealed.
At a star-studded ceremony at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, the festival’s closing night honoured the esteemed entrants in this year’s competition and Flickerfest’s Academy Qualifying Awards. These awards continue to cement the festival’s global position as a leading International Short film festival on the world stage.
Following the ceremony, a selection of award-winning films screened before the Closing Night Party took place.
Amar Haikal’s “My Plastic Mother” took home Best International Short Film, while Anne Breymann’s “Radix” won the Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animated Short Film. “Boy On Fire” by Alies Sluiter won the LUMIX Award for Best Australian Short Film, and the award for Best Documentary Short Film went to Natalia Mirzoyan’s “Winter in March”. See the full winners list below.
Celebrating its 35th year, the ten-day Flickerfest showcased a handpicked selection of Australia’s and the world’s most exciting short films under the stars and in the theatre at the Bondi Pavilion, presenting a stunning season showcasing our most exciting emerging cinema talent.
Its prestigious Academy qualifying competitions of 111 short films included 42 world premieres, 41 Australian premieres and 19 NSW premieres, giving audiences a first look at the most outstanding short films on offer.
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“We are thrilled that the 35th Flickerfest 2026 has been such a success, with many filmmakers present to introduce their films, passionate crowds and great enthusiasm expressed for the programmes screened,” said Flickerfest director Bronwyn Kidd.
“It’s been great to see short films so warmly embraced by audiences across our ten-day event. I would like to congratulate all of the films selected for Flickerfest in competition this year, our jury for their dedication and all of tonight’s award winners.”
Flickerfest will now share a selection of festival highlights and award winners on tour to over 40 venues across Australia between February and October 2026.
International Competition Award Winners:
Flickerfest Award for Best International Short Film (Academy® Qualifying)
“My Plastic Mother” (Indonesia)
Writer/Director: Amar Haikal | Producer: Michael Rainheart
Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animated Short Film (Academy® Qualifying)
“Radix” (Germany)
Writer/Director/Producer: Anne Breymann
Flickerfest Special Jury Award
“Sundown” (Belgium)
Writer/Director: Lucien Lepoutre | Producer: Annabella Nezri
Honourable Mention of the Jury for International Short Film
“Smells Like Kids Spirit” (France)
Writer/Director: Aude Pépin | Writers: Louise Groult, Julien Guetta | Producer: Clément Bancel
Honourable Mention of the Jury for International Short Film
“Vultures” (France, South Africa)
Writer/Director: Dian Weys | Producers: Émilie Dubois, Anais Bertrand, Le Roux Fourie
Documentary Competition Award Winners:
Flickerfest Award for Best Documentary Short Film (Academy® Qualifying)
“Winter in March” (Armenia, Estonia)
Writer/Director: Natalia Mirzoyan| Producers: Armine Harutyunyan, Kadriann Kibus
Flickerfest Special Jury Award for Documentary Short
“No Two Ways” (United Kingdom)
Director/Producer: Glen Fulthorpe
Honourable Mention of the Jury
“Bringing His Spirit Home” (Australia)
Director/Producer: Dylan Nicholls | Producer: Sophia Carolyn Wallace
Rainbow LGBTQi Competition Award Winners:
Azure Productions Award for Best Rainbow Short
“Bleat!” (Malaysia, Phillipines)
Writer/Director: Ananth Subramaniam | Producer: Choo Mun Bel, Bradley Liew, Dominique Welinski
Special Jury Award For Rainbow Short Film
“Sleazy Tiger” (United Kingdom)
Writer/Director: James Ley | Producer: Jack Cowhig, Laura McBride
Australian Competition Award Winners:
LUMIX Award for Best Australian Short Film (Academy® Qualifying)
“Boy On Fire”
Writer/Director: Alies Sluiter | Producer: William Littleton
Spectrum Films Award for Best Direction in an Australian Short Film
Director: Juliette Strangio for “Learning to Eat Cake”
Yoram Gross Award for Best Australian Animated Short Film
“Trading Cards”
Writer/Director/Producer: Radheya Jang | Producer: Jay Jay Jegathesan
AFTRS Award for Best Screenplay in an Australian Short Film
Writer: Stephen Packer for “Alpha Test”
John Barry Award for Best Cinematography in an Australian Short Film
Cinematographer: Dylan Rizzo for “Daddy’s Little Meatball”
Avid Award for Best Editing in an Australian Short Film
Editor: Christine Cheung for “Writers in Love”
Avid Award for Best Original Music in an Australian Short Film
Composer: Louis Frere-Harvey for “Flame”
Rebel8 Award for Outstanding Emerging Female Director in Honour of Samantha Rebillet
Director: Lianne Mackessy for “Tuesday Tuesday”
Specsavers Award for Best Australian Comedy Short Film
“Laterz”
Writer/Director: Chelsea Ingram | Writer/Producer: Nora Alalou
Waverley Council Award for Best Local Short Film
“Daddy’s Little Meatball”
Writer/Director: Yael Grunseit
Specsavers/Flickerfest TVC Award Winners:
Should’ve Gone To Specsavers Audience Choice Award
“The Garbologist”
Writer/Animator: Sammy Lewis
FlickerUp Youth Competition Award Winners:
AFTRS FlickerUp Award for Best Youth Short Film
“Light In Dark Places”
Writer/Director/Producer: Sam Clarke
Yoram Gross FlickerUp Award for Best Youth Animated Short Film
“Turn Off The Lights”
Writer/Director/Producer: Peta Margaret Coleman
Avid FlickerUp Award for Best Editing in A Youth Short Film
“Red String (紅線)”
Writer/Director/Producer: Leo Jiaming Pan | Writer: Winny He
Karma FlickerUp Jury Award for Youth Short Film
“Colo(u)rful 3D Square”
Writer/Director/Producer: Dylan Quick