Your film can still hit the big screen

Filmmakers have been given additional time to submit their stories for the 2026 Bass Coast Shorts Film Festival.

The submission deadline has been extended until Monday, August 24.

The festival is open to both established and emerging filmmakers, and this extension will provide both with another opportunity to enter before the festival returns to Wonthaggi and Cowes in November 2026.

Originally, submissions had been scheduled to close on July 31, but August 24 is now the new late deadline.

The event is accepting films in six categories, including Open, Local, Schools/Under 18, Animation, Documentary and Music Video.

The Local category is designed for filmmakers from Bass Coast and South Gippsland, and organisers are encouraging entries that explore the region’s natural environment and way of life.

Narratives, documentaries, animations, music videos and First Nations films are all eligible for the local category.

Most submitted films must run for no longer than 20 minutes, including both titles and credits, while entries in the Schools/Under 18 and Animation categories are limited to 10 minutes.

Best Film awards will be presented across the Open, Local and Schools/Under 18 categories.

There will also be additional awards to recognise First Nations storytelling, inclusivity, emerging talent, screenwriting, environmental films, coastal life and stories focusing on people and place.

Judges may also recognise things like outstanding directing, cinematography, acting, editing, sound design and musical scoring.

Many local filmmakers featured at last year’s festival, with Steve Dunn winning Best Film in the Local category for his film Vanishing Seaweeds.

Wonthaggi filmmaker Jessica McGuirk won the Schools/Under 18 category for Steel Reborn, while local artists Nicky De Gruchy and Peter Michael Baird received the Best Music Video award for River.

The film festival was first established in 2022, and it provides a platform to showcase films from the local area, elsewhere in Australia, and even overseas, while also providing an opportunity for both members of the audience and filmmakers to meet through screenings and social events.

Festival director John Frohlich previously told the Sentinel-Times that short films could provide an important starting point for people hoping to enter the industry.

“Most people who want to build a career in this industry start with short films to show their ability and get a portfolio together,” he said.

This year’s festival will run from Thursday, November 19, until Sunday, November 22, and events are scheduled at both Ronni’s Restaurant in Wonthaggi and Berninneit in Cowes.

If you wish to enter, you can do so via the FilmFreeway website.