The St Kilda Film Festival is set to take over Melbourne’s bayside this June, unveiling a record-breaking program of nearly 200 short films selected from its largest submission pool to date. Running from 4 to 14 June 2026, the long-running festival will once again transform St Kilda into a hub for filmmakers and audiences, with screenings and events across the Palais Theatre, the Astor Theatre and St Kilda Town Hall.
Presented by the City of Port Phillip, the festival continues to position itself as a major platform for Australian storytelling. This year’s Top Shorts competition, an Academy Awards qualifying event, received 960 submissions, up seven per cent on last year, highlighting growing momentum in the short film space.
Audiences can expect a wide mix of genres, from comedy and horror to documentary and experimental work. The program features familiar names including Hugo Weaving, Kat Stewart, Colin Lane and Sophie Wilde, alongside new projects from Ed Oxenbould and animator Michael Cusack, who makes his live-action debut.
Beyond the screenings, the festival leans into live and community experiences. Opening night kicks off with a red carpet gala at the Palais Theatre, followed by a strong run of special events including St Kilda Rocks at the Astor Theatre. That session pairs two documentaries exploring the suburb’s live music history, alongside a live broadcast of PBS’s Stone Love.
Other highlights include the Live Cinema Experience, where films are created in real time, and The Big Picture, a free industry day offering panels, workshops and networking opportunities for emerging and established creatives.
The festival also continues its focus on representation and future talent. The Under the Radar youth competition received 135 submissions from filmmakers aged 21 and under, while curated sessions spotlight First Peoples storytelling, LGBTIQ+ voices and women and gender-diverse filmmakers.
Among the standout films are Faceless, which explores identity along the Birrarung, Baby Shower starring Hugo Weaving, and The Dysphoria, a horror story grounded in trans experience. Documentary Calm the F**k Down offers a confronting look at family violence through a role-reversal experiment.
City of Port Phillip Mayor Alex Makin said “From 4–14 June 2026, our city comes alive once again as bold ideas, inventive storytelling and the very best of Australian short-form cinema take centre stage. As Australia’s longest-running short film festival, the St Kilda Film Festival reinforces the City of Port Phillip as a creative powerhouse, championing emerging talent while celebrating the achievements of Australia’s most accomplished filmmakers.”
For full program details and bookings, visit: https://stkildafilmfestival.com.au
