The National Tour program features a curated selection of films from the 2026 Very Short Film Festival. Programs vary by location and not all films screen at every tour stop.
The 2026 Official Competition features films inspired by this year’s signature, THREAD.
Winner: Best Film
The Pocket Dial
Josephine Croft & Pete Vulinovich (VIC)
When Marie accidentally “butt-dials”, things spiral from bad to worse. A frantic chase, a smashed phone, and a viral video later, a humiliating mistake is turned into poetic justice.
Winner: Best Director
Tidal
Sofia Poli (NSW)
A moving portrait of two sisters navigating the impact of domestic violence and finding strength in one another.
Winner: Best Story & Ambassador Award
Version 1.0
Chanelle Le Roux (SA) & Michael de Lange (VIC)
In a near-future world where AI has replaced nearly every human job, one person makes a radical choice: firing their chatbot to hire a human assistant.
Winner: Cinematic Craft
Wear & Tear
Isaac Sargent & Vienna Leaf (TAS)
A young woman moves life through one outfit at a time, but the constant pressures of fashion and presentation start to wear her down.
Bambino
Paris Piccolo (NSW)
A shy Italian-Australian boy tries to connect with his brother, but a family secret stands in the way.
Before Goodbye
Dylan Lawless (QLD)
Before Goodbye follows a late-night phone call between two people on the verge of separation.
Cat’s Cradle
Sidney Im & Katrina Chan (NSW)
A struggling actress from Hong Kong plays Cat’s Cradle with her long-distance partner, across cities and time.
Dizzy Spells
Beth Morrison & Bridget Morrison (VIC)
Etsy witch Nancy casts a spell to end her best friend’s situationship — but when a strange FaceTime call comes through, it’s clear she’s cast the wrong one.
Here We Go Again
Jimmy Eaton (VIC)
A young woman tries to resolve a simple flight issue, but her call with an endlessly polite airline operator spirals into a surreal bureaucratic loop.
Oldies of the Coast
Clarence Fennessy (QLD)
Creaking bones impatient moans and drunken giggles. It’s The Oldies of the Coast.
Slow Burn
Jaxon Goldsmith (QLD)
In a quiet, enclosed space, a father and daughter care for a fragile seedling as their surroundings slowly deteriorate.
String Theory
Kirk Mihelakos (VIC)
Drawn by a mysterious thread, a distracted student is pulled far and wide in search of connection.
Talking Cans
Grace O’Sullivan & Joel Berechree (VIC)
Two siblings revert to their favourite pastime from childhood after an unsuccessful family lunch.
The Mess
Will Walquist (QLD)
If they ever want to see their iPads again, siblings are going to have to join forces to tackle a monstrous mess that has gotten out of hand.
The Sweater Curse
Miki Wain (WA)
A disgruntled girlfriend decides to end her relationship by weaponising an old knitting superstition known as The Sweater Curse.
Tragic
James McMahon (ACT)
The discovery of an old cricket ball in the boot of his car fills an ageing former cricketer with nostalgia and a desperate urge to return to the nets and relive his glory days one last time.
Yes, And?
Finn Middleton and Dominic Taffa (NSW)
A couple break up moments before their biggest improv show and are forced to confront their relationship on stage.on stage.
The 2026 Junior Competition showcases budding filmmakers aged 18 and under responding to this year’s signature, THREAD.
Winner: Best Film (Junior)
Darren’s_camera
Taylan Gogan (NSW)
A VHS tape found at a garage sale, labelled: ‘darren’s_camera’, reveals something unexpected.
Winner: Best Story (Junior)
Patience
Mack Green (TAS)
A young man waits alone for an elevator, growing increasingly anxious as the elevator takes a long time to arrive.
Winner: Best Cinematic Craft (Junior)
PERDITA
Charlie Carr (SA)
A lonely teenage outcast who is desperate to belong makes a doll that comes to life, triggering deadly consequences.
3AM Challenge
Coen Wilson (QLD)
Two friends filming at 3am find their night unraveling into a haunting reality.
Alone
Indianna Thompson (NSW)
A red thread of comfort twists into something binding as a girl’s night turns ominous.
Homesick
Darcy Buckle (NSW)
An adolescent girl struggles to hold things together as she grows further from a friend and the childhood she remembers.
I Got An Issue
Gabriel Bobele (VIC)
After finding a dead body, a socially awkward teen makes the worst possible decision and brings it home.
Lost Things
Francheska Operario (QLD)
Whisked away by a gust of wind, a silent bird lost in a world cast aside by man finds comfort in its isolation and its lost things.
Strands Of Obsession
Ava Prenter (QLD)
A meticulous detective refuses to close a case, undone by one missing thread that won’t align.
Threads
Noah Duncan (WA)
A young crime detective discovers things he never should have while chasing the threads to a murder investigation.
Till Death Do Us Part
Adi Bocman (NSW)
A darkly ironic period thriller following a cunning woman who uses charm, romance and deception to shape her own destiny.
Trepidation
Angus EIchmann (QLD)
A boy’s anxiety unravels into a waking nightmare, where fear of the dark may be more than imagined.
A collection of standout short films, all under five minutes.
Crossfire
Sim Kaur (NSW)
CROSSFIRE is a dance fashion film that transforms a competitive battle into a wordless confession, blurring rivalry and devotion.
Cut the Sh*t
Jasmine Formato (WA)
In this unconventional speed dating program, charm is left at the door as participants expose their flaws with brutal honesty.
Honest Date
Alina Noordenbos (Int)
In a world where nobody can lie, two strangers discover that brutal honesty might be the key to real connection.
Remedy
Deepa Parmar (VIC)
Priya and her daughter are waiting for a prescription at the chemist when a conversation becomes the catalyst for another urgent remedy.
Students of the World – Australia
Alana Rowling (NSW) & Jonathan Schneider
In remote Fregon, young Dominic shares a quiet, personal glimpse into life, family and country.
The Loop
Samuel Jones (VIC)
A runner is caught in a looping nightmare, unable to leave the beam of a single parklight.
Unfollow
Liz Christensen & Garth Edwards & Dane Hallam (QLD)
A vanlife influencer tracks down her missing friend, weaving a thread to draw him back in.
Whistralia
Chris Granicolo
When a wave of Australians descends on a quiet Canadian ski town in 1982, the locals find their world hilariously turned upside down.
Zombie
Jessica Husband (VIC)
After her partner’s death, a woman clings to a voicemail as the line between memory and reality begins to blur.
Find your nearest screening and book your tickets.
Don’t miss out – one night only in each location.
