Submissions Open for Made in the West 2026

Submissions are now open for the 15th annual Made in the West Film Festival.

If you’ve made a short film featuring Western Sydney cast, crew or locations, we want to see it on the big screen!

Made in the West Film Festival is one of the longest-running artist-led film festivals in Sydney, and it exists purely to spotlight the stories coming out of our region.

Each year, Made in the West brings local stories to the big screen, connecting filmmakers with audiences, collaborators and industry professionals. As we head into our 15th year, that mission remains the same.

From first-time filmmakers to experienced creatives, the festival is a place to showcase your work, build your network, and be part of a community that backs its storytellers.

“Don’t overthink it,” artistic director Ross Page says. “If you’ve made something, submit it!"

"Made in the West has always been about giving people a shot, and some of the best films we’ve screened started as someone just backing themselves and putting their work out there.”

ENTER YOUR FILM NOW to join us at the festival for our 15th year celebrations!

What films you can submit?

We welcome all genres and formats, from drama, documentary, action and animation to music videos, web series and experimental work.

There are no restrictions on style or subject matter. If you’ve made something you’re proud of and you think it belongs on the big screen, we're keen to see it.

For 2026, we’re continuing to accept projects up to 40 minutes in duration, opening the door for more ambitious storytelling.

You can also submit:

• Back catalogue projects

• Multiple entries

• Work that has screened elsewhere

There really are no rules. Made in the West just wants to see your best work celebrated on screen, and your big vision recognised amongst your peers.

What prizes are you in the running for?

Films selected for the festival will screen in cinemas across Western Sydney, with awards presented across multiple categories.

In 2025, the festival awarded over $32,000 in prizes, including production support, mentorships, studio hire and industry opportunities.

Awards include:

• Best in the West

• Best Student Film

• Best Music Video

• Individual craft awards (directing, writing, cinematography and more)

• Genre Film Awards (Drama, Action, Comedy and more)

• Audience Choice and People’s Choice Awards

We also continue to recognise emerging talent and underrepresented voices, with awards such as Outstanding Female Filmmaker and the Rising Star Award.

A big screen experience like no other

Opening Night will return to Event Cinemas Liverpool this year, with selected films showcased on the V-max screen to kick off another epic season of cinema screenings.

Again this year, we'll be screening even more Official Selection films in our full Marathon Summer Series, with screenings at EVENT cinemas and online as part of our MEGA Movie Marathon. That means more opportunities for your work to reach new audiences beyond Opening Night, and to be part of the festival experience across the season.

Have you seen the Red Carpet Highlights from the 2025 festival and last year's winning films? We love seeing Western Sydney filmmakers enjoying the spotlight, and our Opening Night party always kicks off our Marathon Summer season with style.

Thanks to our partnership with EVENT Cinemas, we'll be showcasing Western Sydney films all through summer again this year - we can't wait!

And of course, we can't go without our new end-of season Closing Night Party! We had such a blast celebrating the People's Choice Awards last year and celebrating the winners of the entire summer program, so we'll be tallying the audience votes and announcing the winners IRL at the end of our 15th season too!

So, rally your friends and family because the best short films of the year will be at the cinema next summer in Western Sydney!

ENTER NOW and we could be watching YOUR FILM at the cinema soon!

Made in the West brings the community together – filmmakers, friends, collaborators and industry – celebrating the work and the people behind it.

Be part of our 15th year!

This year marks a milestone for Made in the West.

Fifteen years of showcasing Western Sydney stories.

Fifteen years of building a creative community.

Fifteen years of backing local filmmakers.

And, we're not done yet! It truly feels like we’ve just shifted up a gear, so you can expect more epic events from us in the year ahead.

So if you’ve been working on something (whether it’s your first project or your fifteenth), this is your chance to share it.

Submit your film

Entries are now open via our website.

We can’t wait to see what you’ve been working on, Western Sydney!