Get behind our Made in the West fundraiser!
- Made in the West Film Festival
- Jun 25
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 4
Throw some dollars towards our ACF fundraising campaign and help us build an even bigger audience for Western Sydney films!
When we started Made in the West in 2012, we didn’t set out to build a film festival – we just wanted to show our films on a big screen and enjoy the excitement of a live audience responding to our work.
As early career filmmakers, it was all about learning from each other and experimenting with what worked (and what didn’t!) and of course raising a glass to celebrate the end of a job well done by our cast & crew.
Thirteen years on, we’ve seen hundreds of filmmakers walk our red carpet. Thousands of people have seen Western Sydney films on the big screen. Dozens of local stories have gone on to national and international acclaim.
But no matter how big the crowd (or how crazy the show!), we’ve never lost sight of why we do this – to drive attention to our screens, celebrate our stories and support each other on this filmmaking journey.
Western Sydney is rich in talent, diversity and ambition, but if you’re a creative from the west then there are challenges – getting funding, finding collaborators, travelling long distances, affording studio time, getting credits to your name, or a meaningful audience for your work – there’s so much that needs to happen if we want to reach our creative goals.
Made in the West was created to make an impact on all those fronts, and it continues today as proof that we can achieve big things when we work together.
We’re proud of what we’ve built so far, but now we’re at a turning point – and we need your help.
Made in the West has always been a community-powered festival and this year we’re calling on our community to help us go further. With rising costs, new ambitions and growing audiences, we’ve launched our first ever crowdfunder – we’re calling for donations!
That’s why we’re asking all our Western Sydney champions to help us raise the funds we need to bring Made in the West 2025 to life!
Each and every person who donates will get their name in the credits at this year’s festival and PLUS, if you donate as a business you’ll be invited to join our list of official festival sponsors and partners – a truly iconic collection of local heroes.
Get involved and support #WesternSydneyFilm today!
The past few years have seen Made in the West evolve from a single-night screening to a multi-platform showcase – we’re everywhere! Our red-carpet gala experience now also includes filmmaker interviews, curated screenings and an online movie marathon watched by people across the country.
We’ve created a platform that promotes local artists, showcases our work and provides creative visibility long after each annual festival is over.
Our crowdfunder will help us keep tickets to the cinema night free for the public, so that ALL local filmmakers can enjoy seeing their work on the big screen AND invite their cast & crew and friends & family to join them!
Every dollar raised goes directly into the running costs for the festival.
Your donations will allow us to pay the artists we hire more than just ‘mates rates’ (even though they love us!), reach bigger audiences, and shine a brighter light on the filmmakers from Western Sydney.
We’re not a big company with big budgets – we’re a small team of creatives, collaborating with artists all over Sydney’s west, and we do this because we believe in creating a strong future for film in our region.
When you donate to Made in the West, you’re not just helping us run a festival, you’re backing the entire Western Sydney film scene!
You’re telling a young filmmaker from Mt Druitt, Fairfield, Campbelltown or Penrith that their voice matters and their work deserves to be seen.
You’re investing in local stories – made right here in the West.
We know the value of the work we do – we see it every time a filmmaker walks the red carpet for the first time, we feel it every time a film gets its first laugh out loud moment in a room full of strangers, and we trust we’re on the right path every time a young filmmaker tells us they never thought they could ever be part of a film festival like ours.
We’ve built something unique in Western Sydney and with your help, we can take it even further.
If you’ve been to the festival before, submitted a film, or supported someone who did - this is your moment to help keep the momentum going!
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT NOW! Share with your friends!
You can make a donation today, big or small, and know you’re investing in local stories.
Thank you for being part of our journey so far… We can’t wait to see what’s next for the Western Sydney film scene!