COUNTDOWN to Festival Season

We’re almost there! Submissions for the 14th annual Made in the West Film Festival have now closed. Congratulations to everyone who submitted a film!

We’ve been watching the entries roll in, and this year’s submissions have already smashed all previous records - this is officially our biggest year yet!

From gripping dramas and laugh-out-loud comedies to intriguing docos that will make you think, and music videos that will get you grooving in your seat, the creativity coming out of Western Sydney is incredible.

Over 70 films are now in the running for selection in the 2025 festival. Our jury will decide which of the films will win our first awards and share in more than $32,000 worth of prizes!

It’s hard to believe how far we’ve come in the last 14 years. What began in 2012 as a single night of student-made short films has evolved into a multi-platform celebration of Western Sydney storytelling – a true ecosystem where new talent can be discovered, collaborations are born, and our community continues to champion our own.

Made in the West exists to celebrate and amplify the vibrant voices of Western Sydney filmmakers - stories that are diverse, local, and always full of heart.

As part of our work at Made in the West Creative, Western Sydney’s premier creative agency and social enterprise, we envision a local film culture where emerging creators are celebrated locally and recognised nationally, where diverse stories shape mainstream perceptions, and where access to the screen is driven by community.

Our mission is to create an unforgettable stage for Western Sydney filmmakers to shine and help uplift local stories, bring people together, and build momentum for the careers, connections and culture that make the local screen scene thrive.

AND with a new format announced, tickets open now and submissions now closed, we can bet you're wondering what happens next. Here's what you can expect:

JURY AWARD SELECTIONS

Once submissions close, the 2025 jury will start to get to work, deliberating over story, craft, and originality to decide this year’s stand out films. For now, our panel of esteemed judges stand ready and are so excited to discover the next wave of local screen practitioners.

Every finalist film will be considered for a range of award nominations, from technical categories like editing, cinematography and sound design, to our big trophies - Best in the West, Best Student Film, and Best Music Video.

We’ll also be polishing the famous Made in the West trophies – those gleaming symbols of recognition that Western Sydney filmmakers dream of taking home. They’ll soon be lined up, ready for their close-up on the big night. Who will win the Audience Choice Award? That’s up to YOU!

TICKETS ARE OPEN NOW

In case you missed it, tickets are OPEN NOW for Western Sydney’s annual film event at Event Cinemas Liverpool on Saturday 22 November from 6pm.

Made in the West has always been free to attend, and always will be. But let us warn you: tickets will fly out the door, so get in quick to avoid disappointment!

If you’d like to support the team behind Made in the West with event costs, please consider purchasing a $20 Supporter ticket (with access to VIP seating) or a $100 VIP ticket (including good seats, a glass of sparkling on arrival and unlimited popcorn and soft drinks all night).

This year, we’re expecting to showcase more finalists than ever before thanks to an expanded festival program and now format that includes additional screenings across six Western Sydney venues in Liverpool, Parramatta, Campbelltown, Bankstown and Penrith.

OFFICIAL SELECTION ANNOUNCEMENT

We’ll announce the 2025 Official Selection in early November. While you’re waiting for the list of finalists to drop, start planning your Opening Night experience - gather your crew, dust off your fancy shoes, forget rushing for last train or saving up for that late-night Uber ands consider an overnight stay at Quest Liverpool Serviced Apartments or the brand new Meriton Suites and GET READY to make a night of it.

Whether you’re walking the red carpet, cheering on your mates, or mingling with other creatives at the after party, this is your night to celebrate the incredible filmmaking community that calls Western Sydney home.

We’re bringing you our biggest festival yet – an entire summer season of screenings, celebrations, and storytelling designed to spotlight the vibrant voices of Western Sydney’s creative community.

Made in the West is an R18+ event with mature content (you can expect a heady mix of L, S, A, D, V, and N) and as always, this year’s line-up is strictly for the grown-ups.

OPENING NIGHT GALA EVENT

Our main festival event that you know and love kicks off at Event Cinemas Liverpool on Saturday 22 November 2025. The night begins with red carpet arrivals, photos and networking from 6pm, then cinema doors open at 7pm for a 7:30pm show start.

We’ll line up two segments of the year’s best local short films, with plenty of time in between for networking and finding your next collaborators.

After the winners are announced, we’ll celebrate at the official After Party, hosted by Western Sydney Filmmakers Hangout, at the Macquarie Hotel just around the corner from the cinema. 

MEGA MOVIE MARATHON

The Made in the West MEGA Movie Marathon launches on Monday 1 December, kicking off an all new summer-long festival experience.

For the first time ever, we'll be screening more films than ever before thanks to our friends at Event Cinemas in Liverpool & Campbelltown, plus Bankstown Arts Centre, The Street University and ACE Parramatta. We can't wait to see Western Sydney films being enjoyed across our great city!

Tickets to stream online or attend a Marathon screening IRL will cost $10 - $15.

CLOSING NIGHT PARTY

Join us in toasting the season of celebrating the filmmakers shaping the future of Australian cinema.

We’ll be wrapping up this summer of storytelling with our Closing Night event at The Joan in Penrith on Saturday 28 February - come along for the final party of the year!

Throughout the summer, we'll have been collecting votes from our global audience and all the viewers at our Marathon Summer screenings. We’ll announce the winner of the almighty People’s Choice Award, plus our Genre Awards and NEW this year, our Next Generation Awards highlighting rising stars in our community.

We can't wait!

SPONSORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

We extend our biggest thanks to Liverpool City Council, without whom our expanded program would not be possible, Screen NSW, Event Cinemas Liverpool, Western Sydney University, AFTRS, Luke Walker Productions, Still Searchin’ Productions and Made in the West Creative.

Joining our Screen sponsors, we are delighted to have the support once again of Irierootsini Photography, Opening Act Films, Sydney Prop Specialists, WIFT NSW, Western Sydney Filmmakers Hangout, Arts and Cultural Exchange Parramatta, Australian Production Design Guild, Australian Writers’ Guild, Creative Plus Business, Australian Guild of Screen Composers and Million Masters Studio.

And, joining the Made in the West family for the first time this year, we are pleased to welcome Penrith City Council, SWR 99.9 FM, Australians in Film, Australian Screen Sound Guild, Panavision, Screen Producers Australia, Vellamatt Entertainment, Auteura, Australian Screen Editors and Dingoo.

The generous contributions of our sponsors keep the festival alive each year - their support covers essential running costs, helps us deliver an incredible prize pool, and ensures Western Sydney filmmakers continue to have a platform to share their stories.

Their investment doesn’t just make a difference to us here at Made in the West HQ - it matters to the hundreds of filmmakers who call Western Sydney home.

We encourage you to show your support in return by seeking out their products and services, and backing the businesses and organisations who believe in the next generation of Australian storytellers.

The countdown is officially on! 

We can’t wait to host you there and celebrate the incredible talent of Western Sydney filmmakers on the big screen.

Stay tuned here on the blog for regular updates or follow our adventures online so you don’t miss our latest news. It’s going to be a blast!