Flickerfest is back and celebrating a landmark 35 years in 2026, rolling out the red carpet at Bondi Beach from 23rd January – 1st February 2026, so Irresistible went out to get the inside scoop from Festival Director Bronwyn Kidd.
Flickerfest began as a small local festival at the Balmain High School in 1991. Since then it has grown to become Australia’s leading Academy® accredited & BAFTA recognised competitive Australian & International Short Film Festival with 1000’s of entries coming from filmmakers across the globe.
For more than three decades, Bronwyn Kidd has been one of the most quietly influential figures in Australian cinema. As the long-standing director of Flickerfest, she has helped launch careers, shape cinematic language, and create a space where emerging filmmakers get to showcase their talent. While the industry often celebrates directors and actors, Bronwyn’s work lives in the foundations: talent discovery, cultural stewardship and the patient building of creative ecosystems.
What sets Bronwyn apart is her dual instinct. She is deeply cultural in her vision, driven by story, emotion and connection, yet acutely aware of the business structures that sustain filmmaking. Flickerfest has become a creative sanctuary and a professional springboard – a place where artistry meets opportunity. In an era when Australian storytelling faces increasing global competition and shrinking funding, her role has never been more essential.
Bronwyn executive produced four series Of Flickerfest On Extra for the Movie Network Channel, produced a series of short film programmes and workshops across the ASEAN region in 2020 in partnership with the Australian government and also the Australian Shorts programme for the 2022 World Expo Dubai. Bronwyn also curated a collection of 49 films celebrating Flickerfest’s 30th birthday that streamed on SBS On Demand in 2021.
She was also on the board for over 15 years of the International Short film conference (ISFC) from 2000 to 2015. Bronwyn has been a member of many respected international juries such as the Drama Short Film Festival in Greece, World Wide Short Film Festival in Toronto and Grimstad in Norway.
A documentary filmmaker passionate about social justice issues Bronwyn’s writer/director credits include one hour documentaries ‘Walking With My Sisters’ and ‘Beachballs’, both of which broadcast on SBS TV.
With such as schedule we were thrilled that Bronwyn found time to sit down for her Irresistible interview.
What would you most like our audience – and audiences generally – to know about this year’s program?
Bronwyn Kidd: The calibre of the films this year is incredibly high. We had over 3,700 submissions, and from that we’ve selected 188 films to screen. So it’s a very distilled collection. I always find it such a privilege to be at this point in the process, because we’ve seen everything and we know just how special the final program is. Given how challenging the world feels right now, I’ve very consciously shaped a more uplifting program. There are films that bring people together, that encourage connection, that focus on relationships, friendship, and the small moments that make life feel meaningful. There’s a lot of warmth in the program. A lot of hope. That felt important.
That aligns so beautifully with what we try to do at Irresistible – using joy, humour and positivity as a form of activism.
Exactly. We’re surrounded by heavy news and difficult stories every day. Flickerfest can be an escape, but it’s also a reminder of what connects us. Cinema has this incredible ability to hold space for emotion without being overwhelming. You can laugh together, cry together, feel something together. That collective experience is very powerful. And then there’s the other layer: discovering talent. That’s always been at the heart of Flickerfest. It’s about identifying emerging voices and giving them a platform. It’s not just about screening films; it’s about supporting filmmakers at a crucial moment in their careers.
That relationship between audiences and filmmakers feels central to Flickerfest.
Very much so. A lot of filmmakers attend the festival, and many are premiering their work for the first time. There’s something very special about that. It’s completely different from walking into a regular cinema. There’s a festival energy, a sense of celebration and vulnerability at the same time. The creators are there, the audience is there, and there’s a real dialogue happening. That connection is fundamental to developing filmmakers. Seeing how an audience responds teaches you so much. It shapes your confidence, your instincts, your understanding of story.
Flickerfest has an extraordinary legacy of discovering talent. Is there anyone in particular who still makes you feel proud?
So many. I think back to the early days when the Edgerton Brothers won the Audience Award in 1998. They were so young, and to see where they’ve gone now is incredible. Rachel Ward won Best Short Film in 1991 for The Big House. Alethea Jones, who went on to have an extraordinary career internationally, also screened early at Flickerfest. It ranges from household names to filmmakers who have built substantial careers quietly and steadily. That’s the joy of it – being a platform at the very beginning.
What else can we expect this year?
I love the multicultural nature of Flickerfest. You can see an incredible range of Australian voices, but also stories from all over the world. It reminds us that storytelling is universal, but perspective is deeply personal. That diversity keeps the festival alive and dynamic.
What’s the balance between Australian and international films this year?
We’re around 70% Australian when you look across all programs. We have seven Australian competition programs and five international competition programs, and then everything else – comedy, kids, genre showcases – is mixed. Australian films are always embedded throughout. That feels more important than ever. Especially with streaming regulations evolving, and the conversation about local content becoming more urgent, we need to keep supporting our own voices.
That pipeline matters, doesn’t it?
It’s essential. You don’t just need directors and writers. You need editors, cinematographers, composers, designers – an entire skilled workforce. It starts here, with emerging filmmakers. Flickerfest is part of the foundation that keeps our industry alive.
What makes a short film unforgettable rather than just impressive?
Story and character. Everything starts there. You need a unique worldview, something authentic. Not something derivative or safe. The most powerful films come from personal connection – when a filmmaker is deeply invested in what they’re telling. That intimacy translates on screen. Audiences feel it. They trust it.
You’ve been doing this for so long. Have you ever thought of moving on?
No, not really. I love how accessible Flickerfest is. We’re niche in the best possible way. We don’t impose themes. We don’t tell people what to make. We showcase passion projects. That freedom is rare, and it’s incredibly valuable.
What do you hope for Australian filmmakers moving forward?
That there are more opportunities for their stories to be seen. On big screens and small screens. And that governments truly understand how vital storytelling is to cultural identity. It’s not optional. It’s essential.
You’ve seen nearly all the films?
Almost all (laughing). FlickerKids is the only program I don’t fully watch through. But yes, it’s a lot of films.
And no favourites allowed?
Absolutely not. It’s like choosing a favourite child.
Flickerfest has also become part of Bondi’s identity.
For nearly 30 years now. It’s about community. About people coming together. About light and connection through cinema. That’s what Flickerfest has always stood for.
Tell us about your music choices for this article?
Over the past 3 years we have celebrated Muriel’s Wedding, Strictly Ballroom and Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, so I’m going to choose some songs from these fabulous films that make me think of a particular period in Australian cinema.
FLiCKERFEST
Australia’s most respected and only Academy® Award qualifying International short film festival, screens the best short films from Australia and the world.
This year, Flickerfest will once again be hosted at its home of almost three decades, the Bondi Pavilion, for indoor and outdoor screenings.
23rd January – 1st February 2026
Following the festival in Sydney, Flickerfest will share a selection of festival highlights and award winners on tour to over 40 venues across Australia between February and October, 2026.
Bondi Pavilion, Bondi Beach NSW 2026
