This summer, Flickerfest, Australia’s largest Short Film Competition and the only one with Academy® Qualification and BAFTA recognition, will once again grace our shores, rolling out the red carpet at Bondi Beach from the 23rd January to the 1st of February.
Andrew caught up with Festival Director Bronwyn Kidd via email to talk about this years festival, what the 35th anniversary of the fest means, and invited Bronwyn to reflect on her role as Fest Director since 1997.
When - 23rd January - 1st February 2026 (Touring Nationally Feb - Oct, 40+ dates)
Where - Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach NSW 2026
Cost - starting from $22 for a session ticket (https://flickerfest.com.au/ticket-info/)
Firstly, congratulations on the 35th year anniversary of Flickerfest. Can you reflect on the longevity of the festival for a moment. What memories stand out for you as the Flickerfest Director since 1997?
Bronwyn Kidd: The past 29 years for me have flown by and there are so many memories of the growth of Flickerfest across that time, so many incredibly talented filmmakers whose work we have shared and the fabulous team’s that have made it all possible. It seems surreal now that we used to get entries on VHS and screen on 16 and 35mm. I think the transition from film to digital stands out the most for me. That’s when our entries went through the roof as filmmaking became much more accessible to a more diverse range of filmmakers.
This year’s line-up of shorts continues Flickerfest’s support of local and international short films with an impressive array of stories. There’s the directorial debut from Renée Zellweger (They) to an array of first-time filmmakers from Australia. How important is it to showcase the depth of short films from around the world?
BK: Flickerfest is really proud to be a platform for a range of filmmakers with varying levels of experience from around the world, all united by excellence in the short film form and engaging stories to tell. With over 3700 entries received this year there was an incredible array of shorts to choose from those who had already been noticed in the industry to those making shorts for the first time and I think that range is what is most exciting about Flickerfest is that first time filmmakers can be on the same screen as those who’ve already found fame making it a level playing field based on talent and storytelling for our audiences to discover.
Looking over the festival history, it has become a fantastic launching pad for filmmakers, with some going on to become recognised at the Academy Awards. Can you talk about the importance of Flickerfest being an Academy qualifying festival?
BK: Since 2002 Flickerfest’s Oscar qualifying status has given the festival recognition around the world, confirming the level of competition that the festival offers to filmmakers and what selection can mean for their careers. Since being recognised by the Academy our entries continue to grow exponentially for the festival year after year so I think the importance of our Academy accreditation lies in the cementing of our profile and the aspiration of filmmakers to be selected for our competitions.
Short films are often some of the very best films I see each year, so I feel strongly that it’s important that we recognise short films as a valid form of filmmaking. Can you talk about the importance of recognising short films as being equal as features or documentaries?
BK: I am obviously passionate about short films having been the director of Flickerfest for 27 years and I believe the skill that required to tell an engaging and memorable story in a brief period of time is exceptional. Short films are a worthy art form in themselves and I am thrilled to work in this part of the industry where passion for storytelling and creativity is more important than the commercial concerns of the box office.
As always, Flickerfest supports great Australian stories on screen, from documentaries to narrative shorts. What are some of the films form the Australian Shorts groups that have stood out for you?
BK: All of the films we are screening both across competition and showcase are outstanding given we've selected 190 films from over 3700 entries so it was a tough competition and I hate to pick favourites but here are just some of the standouts below:
Flickerfest Alumni and director Jesse Vogelaar returns for the world premiere of his new short film The Suit. This sharp and hilarious comedy brings together a stellar cast, featuring award-winning actress Kat Stewart (Five Bedrooms, Offspring, Underbelly), rising star Harvey Zielinski (White Fever, Deadloch, Spreadsheet), and much-loved comedian Colin Lane (Fisk, Utopia, The Adventures of Lano & Woodley).
Flickerfest is also delighted to present BUBBA, a deeply intimate and tender new work from alumni director Nina Buxton. Returning to the festival nearly a decade after the success of her short film WOOF!, which premiered at Flickerfest in 2016 and earned her the award for Best Editing in an Australian Short Film, Nina brings her distinctive storytelling voice to the screen once again with this heartfelt and compelling film.
Flickerfest are also thrilled to premiere acclaimed actor, director and writer Matt Day’s new short Baby Shower starring Hugo Weaving (The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King & The Fellowship of the Ring, V for Vendetta, The Matrix), Contessa Treffone (Totally Completely Fine, One More Shot , Here Out West, Doctor Doctor and Helen Thompson (Elvis , Kangaroo Jack, Colin from Accounts, Gettin' Square). Shot in a single day and set in one location, Baby Shower is a dark comedy that takes a wholesome family ritual and turns it on its head. A proud Flickerfest alumni, this marks Matt Day’s third film to screen at the festival.
The Oscar qualifying Documentary Programme showcases intimate and compelling true stories, including the standout Return of the Champ. Directed by Damien Power, the film follows Indy 500 champion Will Power and his comedian brother Damien as they confront a lifelong rivalry to reconnect before it tears them apart. Damien describes it as deeply personal, with everyone playing themselves and delivering strikingly natural performances.
The jury for this year's festival features an array of voices from around the filmmaking world. How is the selection process for determining the jury each year undertaken?
BK: Each year we look for a diverse range of voices and levels of experience that complement the festival and our ethos, we look to previous alumni and those whose work is the current zeitgeist trusting our filmmakers work to be judged by the hands of passionate and thoughtful film industry members who will recognise those standout films and what the Flickerfest awards can mean for a filmmakers career
Flickerfest returns to Bondi Beach this year. What do you hope that audiences attending Flickerfest will get from attending the festival?
BK: The Flickerfest team are heartbroken by the recent tragic events at our Bondi home and hope in some small way the festival can bring some light to our community.
We have always been proud to be part of Bondi life and to contribute to what makes it so special and believe we are all richer because of the stories that we come together and share.
Our deep care, respect and belief in the power of storytelling to connect us all informs our 2026 festival as we get ready to deliver a rich, diverse and uplifting programme that we hope will bring us all together through the power of film.
When - 23rd January - 1st February 2026 (Touring Nationally Feb - Oct, 40+ dates)
Where - Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach NSW 2026
Cost - starting from $22 for a session ticket (https://flickerfest.com.au/ticket-info/)