Adelaide Film Festival

Overview

The Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) is South Australia's premier screen event. The 2026 edition runs October 14-25, 2026, at cinemas across Adelaide. AFF has transitioned from a biennial to an annual festival with support from the Malinauskas Government, doubling its investment in production through the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF).

AFF is the only Australian film festival that directly commissions new work through its investment fund. Since 2003, AFFIF has premiered and seeded over 150 projects, including some of the most significant Australian films of the 21st century. Major AFFIF titles include "Talk To Me" (Danny and Michael Philippou, 2022), which became an international horror hit after its AFF premiere; "Hotel Mumbai" (Anthony Maras, 2018); "52 Tuesdays" (Sophie Hyde, 2013); "Tracks" (John Curran, 2013); "Snowtown" (Justin Kurzel, 2011); "Samson and Delilah" (Warwick Thornton, 2009); and "Ten Canoes" (Rolf de Heer and Peter Djiggirr, 2005).

The 2025 edition ran October 15-26, opening with Sophie Hyde's "Jimpa" (starring Olivia Colman, John Lithgow, and Aud Mason-Hyde) and closing with Warwick Thornton's "Wolfram." The 2025 program included 10 AFFIF-funded projects, demonstrating the festival's commitment to originating Australian content rather than only programming finished work.

AFF has also partnered with the Cannes Film Festival's Marche du Film to showcase Australian filmmaking at the world's largest film market. The AFF Goes to Cannes program selects five near-complete Australian feature projects for presentation at the Marche's Goes to Cannes platform, with a EUR 10,000 cash prize presented by Sideral.

Key Sections

• AFFIF Commissioned Works - world premieres of Australian films funded through the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund
• Feature Fiction Competition - international narrative features competing for the Feature Fiction Award (AUD $10,000)
• Feature Documentary Competition - international nonfiction features competing for the Feature Documentary Award (AUD $10,000)
• Short Film Competition - Australian and international short films competing for the Shorts Award (AUD $3,000)
• AFF Change Award - films addressing positive or environmental impact, with a AUD $5,000 prize
• International Program - curated international films outside competition
• Screen Conversations - extended in-conversation sessions with filmmakers and industry figures
• AFF Expand Lab - filmmaker and artist development program at the intersection of film, art, and new media
• AFF Youth - educational program for young audiences
• AFF Goes to Cannes - five near-complete Australian feature projects presented at the Marche du Film

Submission Details

AFF accepts submissions through FilmFreeway.

2026 edition submission timeline:

• Submissions open: December 10, 2025
• Early Bird deadline: April 21, 2026
• Submissions close: May 19, 2026
• Last Chance deadline: June 2, 2026
• Late submissions are not accepted
• Notification date: September 30, 2026

Eligibility:

• Shorts: under 40 minutes. Features: over 40 minutes. Episodic content (single or multiple episodes) also accepted
• All genres accepted: fiction, documentary, animation, experimental
• Films must have been completed after October 26, 2025
• Films must not have been broadcast on television or a streaming platform, or publicly screened in South Australia prior to October 26, 2025
• Films must not be commercially available online in Australia (free or on-demand) prior to October 26, 2026
• Submission fees vary by deadline tier (check FilmFreeway for current rates)

What Filmmakers Should Know

The AFF Investment Fund (AFFIF) is what separates Adelaide from every other Australian festival. AFFIF provides equity investment in Australian screen productions, meaning the festival does not just screen finished films - it funds their creation. Australian filmmakers can apply to AFFIF for production financing, with the festival serving as the premiere platform.

AFFIF application process:

• AFF will resume accepting investment submissions from February 2026
• AFF is currently seeking Expressions of Interest for productions to premiere at AFF 2027 and later
• Applications are best submitted between November and mid-June
• Applications made between July and October will be reviewed from November
• Contact: AFFIF@adelaidefilmfestival.org or +61 8 8394 2505

The 2025 AFFIF slate included "Jimpa" (Sophie Hyde), "Wolfram" (Warwick Thornton), "The Fox" (Dario Russo, starring Emily Browning, Jai Courtney, and Damon Herriman), "The Colleano Heart," "Edge of Life" (Lynette Wallworth), "Penny Lane Is Dead," "Mockbuster" (Anthony Frith), and "We Are Not Powerless." These films represent the range of AFFIF investment, from narrative features to documentaries to experimental work.

For international filmmakers, AFF offers a juried competition with AUD $10,000 prizes in both fiction and documentary categories. The 2025 Feature Fiction jury included Jub Clerc, John Sheedy, Pavel Cortes, Marion Pilowsky, and Murray Bartlett. The 2025 Feature Fiction Award went to "Vanilla" (Mayra Hermosillo, Mexico), and the Feature Documentary Award went to "She" (Parsifal Reparato).

The Don Dunstan Award recognizes an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Australian screen culture. The 2025 recipient was filmmaker Robert Connolly, whose 30-year career includes "Balibo," "Paper Planes," and "The Dry." The Bettison & James Award is another major honor administered by AFF.

AFF is a registered DGR (Deductible Gift Recipient) entity, meaning every donation over AUD $2 is tax-deductible. This status supports the festival's year-round initiatives, including Film Club events and Festival Bridges programs fostering connectivity with markets in Cannes, France, and Jogja, Indonesia.

Major Awards

Competition Awards (juried):

• Feature Fiction Award - AUD $10,000, supported by Nunn Dimos Foundation
• Feature Documentary Award - AUD $10,000
• Shorts Award - AUD $3,000, supported by Humanee
• AFF Change Award - AUD $5,000, for films expressing positive or environmental impact and new directions for humanity

Audience Awards (voted by festival audiences):

• Audience Award for Feature Fiction
• Audience Award for Feature Documentary
• Audience Award for Short Film

Honorary Awards:

• Don Dunstan Award - recognizing an exceptional individual who has made an outstanding contribution to Australian screen culture
• Bettison & James Award - recognizing lifetime achievement

2025 Award Winners:

• Feature Fiction: "Vanilla" (Mayra Hermosillo, Mexico)
• Feature Documentary: "She" (Parsifal Reparato)
• Shorts: "The Eating of an Orange" (May Kindred-Boothby, UK)
• Don Dunstan Award: Robert Connolly

Festival History

The Adelaide Film Festival was founded in 2003. Its distinctive feature is the AFF Investment Fund (AFFIF), which provides equity investment in Australian screen productions. AFF was the first Australian film festival to establish an investment fund, and this model has funded over 150 projects since its inception.

AFFIF-funded films have achieved significant international success. "Talk To Me" (2022), directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, began its journey at AFF before becoming a global horror hit distributed by A24. "Lesbian Space Princess" similarly launched at AFF before gaining international recognition. "Hotel Mumbai" (2018) screened at AFF before its worldwide theatrical release. "Samson and Delilah" (2009) by Warwick Thornton won the Camera d'Or at Cannes after AFFIF support.

The festival was originally biennial but transitioned to an annual event with support from the South Australian Government. This transition doubled the investment fund's capacity and made AFF a permanent fixture of Adelaide's cultural calendar each October. The state government's investment reflects Adelaide's identity as a festival city, home to the Adelaide Festival, WOMADelaide, Fringe, and the OzAsia Festival.

The 2025 edition featured 10 AFFIF-funded projects in its program, the most in the festival's history. The 2026 edition will continue the annual schedule, running October 14-25, 2026. AFF's year-round initiatives include Film Club screenings, the AFF Expand Lab for filmmaker development, the AFF Youth educational program, and the Festival Bridges international market connectivity program.

Past Winners and What They Made with the Money

AFFIF-funded films have achieved significant international success. Talk To Me (2022), directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, began its journey at AFF before becoming a global horror hit distributed by A24 ($92 million worldwide against a $4.5 million budget). Lesbian Space Princess launched at AFF before winning the Berlinale Teddy Award. Hotel Mumbai (2018) screened at AFF before its worldwide theatrical release. Samson and Delilah (2009) by Warwick Thornton won the Camera d'Or at Cannes after AFFIF support. 52 Tuesdays (2013, Sophie Hyde) won the directing award at Sundance. Snowtown (2011, Justin Kurzel) launched at AFF before international festival success. Ten Canoes (2005, Rolf de Heer and Peter Djiggirr) won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes. The 2025 edition featured 10 AFFIF-funded projects in its program, the most in the festival's history. The 2025 edition ran October 15-26, opening with Sophie Hyde's Jimpa (starring Olivia Colman, John Lithgow, and Aud Mason-Hyde) and closing with Warwick Thornton's Wolfram. AFF also presented Anora (Palme d'Or winner), The Room Next Door (Pedro Almodovar, Golden Lion winner), Nightbitch (starring Amy Adams), I Saw the TV Glow (Jane Schoenbrun), and Blitz (Steve McQueen, starring Saoirse Ronan).

Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up

The AFF Investment Fund (AFFIF) is the only festival-based commissioning model in Australia. Since 2003, AFFIF has premiered and seeded over 150 projects. The AFF Goes to Cannes program selects five near-complete Australian feature projects for presentation at the Marche du Film's Goes to Cannes platform, with a EUR 10,000 cash prize presented by Sideral. This partnership provides a direct pathway from Australian development to the world's largest film market. Talk To Me is the most commercially significant AFFIF success story, demonstrating that festival-commissioned Australian genre films can achieve genuine global distribution. The Feature Fiction Competition awards AUD $10,000, the Feature Documentary Competition awards AUD $10,000, the Shorts Award awards AUD $3,000, and the AFF Change Award awards AUD $5,000 for films addressing positive or environmental impact.

Submission Tips Specific to This Festival

The 2026 edition runs October 14-25, 2026, at cinemas across Adelaide. Submissions are via FilmFreeway with early bird, regular, and late deadlines. AFF has transitioned from a biennial to an annual festival with support from the Malinauskas Government, doubling its investment in production through AFFIF. The festival programs feature fiction competition, feature documentary competition, short film competition, AFF Change Award (environmental/positive impact), international program, screen conversations, and AFFIF commissioned works (world premieres of Australian films funded through the investment fund). AFF's year-round initiatives include Film Club screenings, the AFF Expand Lab for filmmaker development, the AFF Youth educational program, and the Festival Bridges international market connectivity program. For Australian filmmakers, AFFIF provides equity investment that can serve as the cornerstone of a production financing stack.

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See Also

To calculate the return on your festival submission spending, use the Festival ROI Calculator. To estimate your probability of acceptance based on festival tier and film characteristics, use the Festival Acceptance Odds Estimator. For festival circuit planning, see Film Festival Strategy. For Australian screen financing and tax incentives, see Film Financing Guide. For international film markets, see International Film Markets.