Overview
The Suva International Short Film Festival (SISFF) is Fiji's primary film festival, organized by Film Fiji, the national film commission. The festival screens short films from Fijian and Pacific Island filmmakers across two nights at Damodar Cinemas in Suva. The 2025 edition ran September 16 to 18, featuring up to 20 selected short films across the Fijian Short Film Night and Pacific Short Film Night programs. There is no submission fee.
SISFF is a community-focused festival with a regional mandate. Filmmakers aged 18 and older from Fiji and the Pacific Islands are eligible to submit short films up to 20 minutes in any genre. Films must have been completed after December 31, 2019. Submissions are handled digitally via email link, WeTransfer, or physical copy, not through FilmFreeway. The festival is held at Damodar City, a well-known entertainment hub in Suva.
Fiji's cultural landscape includes indigenous Fijian, Indo-Fijian, and broader Pacific Islander communities. The festival reflects this diversity through its dual-night structure: the Fijian Film Night focuses on local Fijian productions, while the Pacific Film Night expands to include work from neighboring South Pacific nations. The partnership with Damodar City Group provides a commercial venue that expands the festival's audience reach beyond the film community.
Key Sections
- Fijian Short Film Night - selected short films by Fijian filmmakers
- Pacific Short Film Night - selected short films from across the South Pacific region
- My Pacific Story Short Film Competition - a themed competition run alongside the festival (2026 edition: films 3 to 10 minutes, completed after October 1, 2025, focused on life in the Pacific Islands, no entry fee, awards for first, second, and third place plus Best Student Film)
Submission Details
Eligibility:
- Filmmakers aged 18 and older
- From Fiji and the Pacific Islands
- Short films up to 20 minutes
- Any genre
- Films completed after December 31, 2019
Submission process:
- Submit digitally via email link, WeTransfer, or physical copy
- No FilmFreeway submission portal
- No submission fee
Key dates (2025 edition):
- Submission deadline: June 13, 2025
- Selection notification: August 15, 2025
- Festival dates: September 16 to 18, 2025 at Damodar Cinemas Suva
Selection: Up to 20 short films are selected for screening across the two festival nights. Films are chosen by a panel of judges appointed by Film Fiji.
Contact: traininganddevelopment@film-fiji.com
What Filmmakers Should Know
No submission fee: SISFF does not charge a submission fee, making it one of the most accessible festivals for Pacific Island filmmakers with limited production budgets. This is a deliberate policy by Film Fiji to encourage participation from across the region.
Regional focus, not international: SISFF is not a general international festival. It is specifically designed for Fijian and Pacific Island filmmakers. International filmmakers whose work does not connect to the Pacific region should not submit. The festival's programming identity is rooted in Pacific storytelling, not in curating a global short film program.
Festival hiatus and relaunch: The festival began in 2022 but went on a two-year hiatus before returning in November 2024 (November 7 and 8 at Damodar City). The 2025 edition moved to September. Filmmakers should verify current dates and submission status on the Film Fiji website before submitting, as the festival's schedule has shifted between years.
Film Fiji's broader role: Film Fiji is the national film commission, not just a festival organizer. The organization handles location scouting, production support, and industry training for Fiji. The festival is one component of a broader strategy to develop Fiji's screen industry. Filmmakers attending the festival can connect with Film Fiji for information about shooting in Fiji, which offers tropical locations and production support for international productions.
My Pacific Story competition: In 2026, Film Fiji launched the My Pacific Story Short Film Competition alongside the festival. Films must be 3 to 10 minutes, completed after October 1, 2025, and focus on life in the Pacific Islands. Accepted genres include drama, documentary, animation, and comedy (no music videos). There is no entry fee, and awards are given for first, second, and third place plus Best Student Film. Up to 20 selected films receive public screenings.
Limited industry infrastructure: SISFF is a community and cultural event, not a market festival. There is no film market, no sales agents, and no distribution deals associated with the festival. Filmmakers attending should expect a community screening environment with local audiences, networking with Pacific Island filmmakers, and connection to Film Fiji's training and development programs, not industry deal-making.
Major Awards
- Best Fijian Film - selected from the Fijian Short Film Night program
- Best Pacific Film - selected from the Pacific Short Film Night program
- My Pacific Story Competition Awards - first, second, and third place plus Best Student Film (2026 edition)
Festival History
The Suva International Short Film Festival was launched in 2022 by Film Fiji with the goal of fostering and highlighting local film talent in Fiji. The inaugural event was held at Damodar City in Suva, with the Damodar City Group as a key marketing partner.
After the inaugural 2022 event, the festival went on a two-year hiatus. Film Fiji relaunched SISFF in November 2024 (November 7 and 8 at Damodar City), citing strong anticipation from the local film community and support from South Pacific filmmakers. The 2025 edition moved to September 16 to 18, maintaining the Damodar Cinemas venue.
The festival is part of Film Fiji's broader training and development mandate. Film Fiji operates as the national film commission, providing location services, production support, and industry development for Fiji's growing screen sector. The festival functions as the public-facing component of this strategy, giving Pacific Island filmmakers a platform to screen their work for local audiences and connect with regional peers.
Past Winners
SISFF is a young festival with limited documented award history. The festival presents Best Fijian Film and Best Pacific Film awards selected from the Fijian Short Film Night and Pacific Short Film Night programs. Specific winner names from the 2022 inaugural edition and the 2024 relaunch edition have not been published in international databases.
The 2025 edition, held September 11 to 13 at Damodar Cinemas, screened films including Oceanbone by Master Kalisito Vunidilo, Guma Higgai by Dr. Sylvia Frain, and Vakaraitaka by Fenton Lutunatabua. The 2026 edition introduces the My Pacific Story Short Film Competition with awards for first, second, and third place plus Best Student Film.
Notable Alumni Films
SISFF's short history limits its alumni track record. The festival launched in 2022 and returned from hiatus in November 2024. Fiji National University student films were selected as finalists for screening at the 2025 edition, marking the first time FNU student work appeared on a cinema screen at Damodar Cinemas.
The festival's community focus means films screened at SISFF typically circulate within Pacific Island networks rather than advancing to major international festivals. Filmmakers who screen at SISFF connect with Film Fiji's broader training and production support programs.
Watch
Submission Tips
- SISFF does not charge a submission fee, making it accessible for Pacific Island filmmakers with limited budgets. Submit digitally via email link or WeTransfer.
- The festival accepts only films from Fiji and the Pacific Islands. International filmmakers whose work does not connect to the Pacific region should not submit.
- Films must be under 20 minutes and completed after December 31, 2019. Any genre is accepted.
- The 2026 My Pacific Story competition accepts films 3 to 10 minutes focused on life in the Pacific Islands. Accepted genres include drama, documentary, animation, and comedy.
- Verify current dates and submission status on the Film Fiji website before submitting. The festival's schedule has shifted between years.
Industry Reputation Notes
SISFF is a community and cultural event, not a market festival. There is no film market, no sales agents, and no distribution deals associated with the festival. Filmmakers should expect a community screening environment with local audiences and networking with Pacific Island filmmakers.
Compared to the Hawaii International Film Festival, which programs Pacific Rim cinema on a larger scale with industry infrastructure, SISFF operates as a grassroots platform focused on local and regional storytelling. The festival's value lies in community building and connection to Film Fiji's production support services rather than in industry deal-making.
The festival's partnership with Damodar City Group provides a commercial cinema venue that expands audience reach. Film Fiji's broader role as the national film commission means the festival connects filmmakers to location scouting, production support, and industry training resources.
See Also
Use the Festival ROI Calculator to model the total cost of submitting to and attending SISFF, including travel to Suva and accommodation (the festival has no submission fee, but travel to Fiji from North America or Europe is a significant cost factor). For Pacific cinema and regional film markets, read International Film Markets. For broader festival circuit planning, read Film Festival Strategy.
