Empower Students Through Film

VSFF 18 & Under Competition

Showcasing the next generation of Australian filmmakers and storytellers.

Open to young filmmakers aged 18 and under, it celebrates bold ideas, creativity and original storytelling through film.

Selected films premiere at the Very Short Film Festival in Hobart, Tasmania, before touring nationally as part of the VSFF program.

Highlights

  • Open to Australian filmmakers aged 18 and under
  • Enter individually, as a class or as a group
  • Films must be 2–5 minutes
  • 2027 Signature announced 1 November 2026
  • Entries open 1 February and close 7 May 2027
  • Selected films screen at the VSFF National Premiere and on the National Tour
  • Awards and prizes for outstanding films and filmmakers

Meet Junior Category Winners

Dylan Burrows, VSFF 2023 Junior competition winner

Dylan Burrows

VSFF Winner 2023 for his film “The Polish Nut”

“I’ve always wanted to tell a family fable that was passed down to my father, then to me… and thought it would be the perfect story to share for this awesome film festival. Seeing my film on a big screen for the first time was an amazing experience! And winning at the VSFF feels surreal, but I’m very grateful for the opportunity.”

VSFF 2022 Junior Competition winners Jahvis Loveday and Joy Ben Hur

Jahvis Loveday & Joy Ben Hur

VSFF Winner 2022 for their film “Home”

“Being a part of the Very Short Film Festival was truly a dream from beginning to end. The energy of everyone involved made us feel like we had won before we had even received any award. So grateful to the amazing team involved for nurturing young filmmakers and amplifying diverse stories that need to be told. We left feeling truly inspired.”

Be Inspired by Past Films

The Polish Nut by Dylan Burrows 

Home by Jahvis Loveday & Joy Ben Hur

Kinetic Connection by Hayden Best

Getting Started with Your Film

Created by VSFF mentors, this step-by-step guide supports students, teachers and first-time filmmakers creating work for the Very Short Film Festival.

It covers planning, production and post, with practical tips to help young creators bring their stories to life.

Download the guide and start making your VSFF short film.

Bring Filmmaking Into Your Classroom

Very Short Film School’s  Filmmaking Program brings everything you need to teach filmmaking together in one ready-to-use package.

Students learn from a curated collection of outstanding Australian short films, then put that learning into practice with six flexible modules, teaching resources, worksheets and practical filmmaking tools that guide them from idea to screen.

And it all leads to the excitement of creating an original film of five minutes or less, with the opportunity to enter in to the 2027 VSFF. 

Program access begins in early December 2026, giving educators time to explore the resources and plan their filmmaking activities for the new school year.

Discover the 2027 Filmmaking Program and bring filmmaking into your classroom.

Grab a Camera, Friends and Make a Film

Get Creative

Think up a story with a meaning – include the VSFF annual signature.

Shoot the Film

Grab a camera or your phone and shoot a film under 5 mins

Submit your Film

Enter in the category for 18 + under

Join the Festival

Selected films screen at the National Premiere and tour Australia