The Very Short Film Festival is bringing a bold new wave of Australian storytelling to Newcastle for a special one-night-only screening.
Fresh from the 2026 festival's national premiere in Hobart, where The Pocket Dial by Josephine Croft and Pete Vulinovich took out Best Film, alongside wins for Tidal (Best Director), Version 1.0 (Best Story), Wear & Tear (Best Cinematic Craft) and darrens_camera (Best Junior Film), the festival's 2026 official selection and award-winning films are now touring the country, bringing this year's standout short films to the big screen.
The Very Short Film Festival program brings together short films from filmmakers across Australia, exploring a wide range of stories, perspectives and themes.
Created specifically for the festival, each film offers a distinct voice while responding to this year's festival signature theme, "thread", in diverse and unexpected ways. The result is a collection of stories that invite audiences to laugh, reflect and see things differently.
Open to filmmakers of all ages and backgrounds, The Very Short Film Festiva celebrates storytelling in its most concise and powerful form. Each film is under five minutes, delivering impact, originality and craft within a tight frame.
"The Very Short Film Festival offers an excellent platform for storytelling voices," festival ambassador Marta Dusseldorp says.
"The films are always unique, full of heart and often have a great twist.
"Celebrating them with an audience, in a cinema, is incredibly special and so important for our filmmakers to see themselves on the big screen. This festival reminds us how our stories connect us while also unearthing new Australian talent."
Festival director Tamara Svirskis says the stories have the power to resonate in unexpected ways and spark conversations long after the credits roll: "Stories have a way of connecting people. What excites us about the national tour is taking these films beyond one weekend and giving audiences across Australia the chance to experience them together."
