It’s a new year, which means a new festival calendar! Film festivals across the nation are gearing up for a jam-packed 2024 program, both in-person and online. Below we’ve got a bumper calendar list of what to watch out for.
In terms of major Australian film festivals, we kick things off in Sydney with its main film festival (SFF) in June, before heading to Canberra (CIFF) and Melbourne (MIFF) in August, Darwin International Film Festival (DIFF) in September, before the Adelaide (AFF) and Brisbane (BIFF) film festivals in October.
Read: Australian films coming out in 2024
Aside from the big six, there’s a festival on almost every fortnight in any given corner of the continent. Films from Japan, Finland, Italy, France, Germany and Taiwan; Queer films, trashy films, very-short shorts, films shot exclusively on iPhones, animated films, films projected in a dome-shape… you name it, we’ve got it.
Do note that not all festivals listed here have confirmed their 2024 dates. We have placed them in the schedule based on when they held past festivals, and we will aim to update the listings as the year goes on.
Use the content menu below to look for a film festival near you.
Film festivals by date:
JANUARY-MARCH
Read: New films in 2024: Furiosa, Dune part two, Mickey 17, Priscilla and more
FLiCKERFEST
Bondi, NSW: 19-28 January
-Short films with a focus on local talent. Australia’s only Academy® Qualifying & BAFTA Qualifying short film festival.
Melbourne Queer Film Festival (MQFF)
Melbourne: 27-28 January
-LGBTQIA+ films.
Peninsula Film Festival
Rosebud, VIC: 2-4 February
Fleurieu Film Festival
Adelaide: 3-4 February
Dome Under Film Festival at the Planetarium
Melbourne: 3-4 February
-Large-scale art and science films presented in the Melbourne Planetarium dome.
Best Biggest IMAX Film Festival
Melbourne: 4-25 February
AACTA Festival
Gold Coast, QLD: 8-11 February
Antenna Documentary Festival
Sydney: 9-19 February
-Feature-length and short documentaries from around the world.
Melbourne Short Film Festival
Melbourne: 8 February
-Short films, both local and international.
Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival
Sydney: 15-29 February in cinema, 1-11 March on demand
-LGBTQIA+ films
Europa! Europa
Melbourne and Sydney: 15 February-11 March
-The latest and greatest films made in Europe and by European directors.
Travelling Film Festival
Queensland: 16-18 February
Norther Territory: 9-26 February
Melbourne Science Fiction Film Festival
Melbourne: 23-25 February
-Science fiction features and short films, from Australia and abroad
WA Made Film Festival
Perth: 23 February-3 March
-Western Australia’s biggest, independently operated film festival featuring only WA-made films
Stellar Short Film Festival
Langwarrin, Victoria: 2 March
-A carefully curated fusion of film, food and beverages, art and entertainment, at the McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery
Australian International Documentary Conference (AIDC)
Melbourne: 3-8 March
-Documentaries that focus on the theme ‘Fronrlines’, as part of a wider forum on documentary filmmaking.
Alliance Française French Film Festival
Sydney: 5 March – 9 April
Melbourne: 6 March – 2 April
Canberra: 7 March – 2 April
Perth: 6 March – 2 April
Brisbane: 5 March – 2 April
Adelaide: 21 March – 16 April
Byron Bay: 7 March – 27 March
Victor Harbour: 4 April – 10 April
Hobart: 4 April – 14 April
-The latest and greatest in French films and films by French directors.
Bangalow Film Festival
Bangalow, Byron Bay NSW: 7-16 March
-A wide range of diverse and inclusive screenings along with an immersive program of art exhibitions, panels, music and plenty more.
Palestinian Film Festival of Australia
7-17 March [Sydney (7-10 March), Canberra (8-10 March), Brisbane (8-10 March), Adelaide (8-10 March), Hobart (8-10 March), Melbourne (14-17 March) and Perth (15-17 March)]
Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF)
Melbourne: 21-25 March
-Feature-length and short films made by and for women, trans and non-binary folk.
ReelGood Film Festival
Melbourne: 23 March
-Australian short films in a fun day of music, drinks and film
Birrarangga Film Festival
Naarm/Melbourne: Unconfirmed dates, usually March
-A celebration of Indigenous filmmakers from across the globe, showcasing their unique stories.
Australia Womens Film Festival (AWFF)
Sydney: Unconfirmed dates, usually March
-Films with a female focus that pass the Bechdel Test.
Transitions Film Festival
Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney: Unconfirmed this year
Perth Queer Film Festival
Perth: Unconfirmed this year
South Asian Film Festival in Australia (SAFFA)
Sydney: Unconfirmed this year
APRIL-JUNE
Inner West Film Fest
Inner West Sydney: 4-18 April
-Local and international films, special events and filmmaker talks
Fantastic Film Festival Australia (FFFA)
Melbourne & Sydney: 14-30 April
-Showing the latest and greatest in cult, genre and arthouse cinema.
Gold Coast Film Festival
Gold Coast: 17-28 April
-Feature films, shorts and panels for Gold Coast movie lovers.
Geelong Pride Film Festival
Geelong: 18-28 April
-LGBTQIA+ films.
HSBC Spanish Film Festival
Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Byron Bay: Unconfirmed, usually April/May
-The best cinema from Spain and Latin America.
Tilde: Melbourne Trans and Gender Diverse Film Festival
Melbourne: 3-5 May
Melbourne International Animation Festival
Melbourne: 5-12 May
-Animated films for kids and adults.
Setting Sun Film Festival
Yarraville, VIC: 9-17 May
-The premier international film festival in Melbourne’s West and one of the largest short film festivals in Melbourne.
People of Passion (POP) International Film Festival
Hawthorn, VIC: 10 May
Sparrowland Short Film Festival
Milton, QLD: May 11
Very Short Film Festival
Tasmania: 31 May
-Two to five-minute short films
South African Film Festival
Australia & New Zealand: May
-South African films, and films by South African directors.
World Monologue Film Festival
Online only: Unconfirmed dates, usually May
-Films featuring only one-take monologues.
Children’s International Film Festival (CHIFF)
Melbourne and Sydney: May/June
-CHIFF brings a curated selection of feature and short local and international cinema dedicated to the youngest film buffs.
Sydney World Film Festival
Sydney: Unconfirmed dates, usually June
-The best of world independent cinema
HSBC German Film Festival
Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra, Hobart: Unconfirmed dates, usually June
-The latest and greatest German films and films by German directors.
Capricorn Film Festival
Yeppoon, Queensland: June
-Feature film, documentary and short film premieres, performance and visual art experiences and networking.
St Kilda Film Festival
St Kilda (Vic): 6-16 June
-New, locally-made and international short films.
Sydney Film Festival (SFF)
Sydney: 5-16 June
-Major film festival showcasing features, shorts, documentaries and guest speakers from all over the world.
Castlemaine Documentary Festival
Castlemaine (VIC): June
-Held at Castlemaine’s iconic Theatre Royal, the festival offers a curated program of superb Australian and international non-fiction films.
The Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival
Winton (Qld): June-July
-Australian Outback-inspired films by locals, and with a focus on First Nations storytellers.
Southwest Asian and North African Film Festival (SWANA)
Sydney: Unconfirmed this year
JULY-SEPTEMBER
Read: Three best films to stream this week – and where to find them
Japanese Film Festival (JFFA)
Sydney, Melbourne: 5 June-3 July
-The latest and greatest Japanese films, from Japan and by Japanese directors.
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival
Melbourne: 1-31 July
-Documentaries from Australia and the world
Revelation Perth International Film Festival
Perth: 3-14 July
-Independent films, both local and from all over the world.
Scandinavian Film Festival
Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Byron Bay: 17 July-14 August
-The best films from Scandinavia (Finland, Norway, Denmark, Sweden and Iceland).
Taiwan Film Festival in Australia
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra: 25 July-14 September
-Feature films and shorts from Taiwan and by Taiwanese directors.
Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF)
Melbourne: 8-25 August
-Major film festival showcasing features, shorts, documentaries and guest speakers from all over the world.
Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM)
Melbourne: 15-25 August
-The best of Indian cinema.
Armenian Film Festival Australia
Sydney: 16-25 August
Melbourne: 6-8 September
Far South Film Festival
Merimbula, NSW: 17 August
-Showcases stories told by regional and remote filmmakers from around Australia.
Top Dog Film Festival
Australia: 20-31 August
-Films about and related to our canine companions, man’s best friend: the dog.
CinefestOZ Film Festival
Margaret River (WA): 31 August-8 September
-The latest and greatest Australian films.
Korean Film Festival in Australia (KOFFIA)
Sydney, Canberra, Benalla, Burnside, Alice Springs: August 31 – Oct 12.
-The latest and greatest Korean films, from Korea and by Korean directors.
Sydney Underground Film Festival (SUFF)
Sydney: 12-15 September
-A not-for-profit festival that screens underrepresented features, documentaries and shorts.
Darwin International Film Festival (DIFF)
Darwin: 12-22 September
-Major film festival showcasing features, shorts, documentaries and guest speakers from all over the world.
St. Ali Italian Film Festival
Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth, Byron Bay: Unconfirmed dates, usually around this quarter
-The best of Italian cinema, from Italy and by Italian directors.
OCTOBER–DECEMBER
Canberra International Film Festival
Canberra: Unconfirmed date, usually October
-Major film festival showcasing features, shorts, documentaries and guest speakers from all over the world.
Port Shorts Film Festival
Port Douglas: Unconfirmed dates, usually October
Irish Film Festival Australia
Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra: Unconfirmed dates, usually October
-The best in film from Ireland and in the Irish language.
SXSW Sydney – Screen Festival
Sydney: 14-20 October
-One jam-packed week where innovation, music, screen, tech, and gaming converge for unexpected discoveries.
Byron Bay Film Festival
Byron Bay, NSW: October
-Major international and local features, docos and more
Czech and Slovak Film Festival
Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Online: Unconfirmed dates, usually October
-Modern Czech and Slovak live-action features and animated films
Heart of Gold International Short Film Festival
Gympie, QLD: 4-6 October
-International short films, Q&A’s and masterclasses in the heart of Gympie
Monster Fest
Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane: 12-29 October
-New films that fall under the genres of horror, science fiction, fantasy, dark drama and black comedy.
Trasharama
Adelaide: October 16-23
International Multicultural Film Festival
Melbourne, Sydney and Perth: 19 October-2 November
-Films made by anyone telling stories about Australia’s rich diversity.
Adelaide Independent Film Festival (AIFF)
Adelaide: 19 October
-Over a dozen short films from local, national and international filmmakers
Adelaide Film Festival (AFF)
Adelaide: 23 October-3 November
-Major film festival showcasing features, shorts, documentaries and guest speakers from all over the world.
Brisbane International Film Festival (BIFF)
Brisbane: Unconfirmed, usually October/November
-Major film festival showcasing features, shorts, documentaries and guest speakers from all over the world.
Jewish International Film Festival
Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Hobart, Brisbane, Gold Coast, Perth: Unconfirmed dates, usually November
-The latest Jewish films, made by and for people with Jewish heritage.
Cunard British Film Festival
Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, Canberra, Byron Bay: Unconfirmed dates, usually November
-British feature films and shorts that celebrate the UK’s filmmakers and actors.
SmartFone Flick Fest (SF3)
Sydney and online: 16-17 November
-Short films made entirely on smartphones.
Sydney Lift-Off Film Festival
Sydney: 17 November-1 December
-A global showcase for filmmakers looking to have their work acquired by distributors.
Melbourne Lift-Off Film Festival
Melbourne: 17 November-1 December
Sydney Women’s International Film Festival
Sydney: 26-30 November
-A film festival for women created by women where female filmmakers are supported and celebrated.
Persian Film Festival
Sydney: 29 November-4 December
-Films in the Persian language and by Persian filmmakers.
Understory Film Festival
Cairns: Unconfirmed dates, usually November
-Cairns’ very own locally produced short film festival.
Made in the West
Western Sydney (NSW): November
-Dedicated to screening Western Sydney films on the big screen.
Iranian Film Festival of Australia
Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth: Dates unconfirmed, usually November
The Other Film Festival
Victoria: Dates unconfirmed, usually end of year
Winda Film Festival
NSW: Dates unconfirmed, usually end of year
Environmental Film Festival of Australia
Melbourne: Unconfirmed this year
-Features, documentaries, short films and experimental cinema that focuses on the environment and/or climate change.
Veterans Film Festival
Sydney: Unconfirmed this year
-Recent works by veterans or with veterans’ themes including films, masterclasses, art exhibitions, filmmaker Q&As and other events.
Paused and discontinued film festivals
A Night of Horror International Film Festival
Now based in the US.
Breath of Fresh Air Film Festival (BOFA)
Discontinued.
The (new) Melbourne Underground Film Festival (MUFF)
Discontinued.
Russian Resurrection Film Festival
Discontinued.
Screenwave International Film Festival
Discontinued.
