After nearly a year without being able to head to theatres, it now feels like a proper treat to catch a movie on the big screen. Making sure we get extra cultural bang for our buck, short film festival Flickerfest returns to The Kino this April to showcase the best of Melbourne-made shorts.

The internationally acclaimed Flickerfest is celebrating its 30th year and, following the festival's ten-day stint in Sydney, it's making its way to Melbourne on Wednesday, April 14. The annual film festival is Australia's only Academy-qualifying and BAFTA-recognised short film festival, too.

Highlights this year include feel-good film Dog Date Afternoon, which tells the story of a germophobe trying to win the girl of his dreams and her dog; hilarious crime comedy Pugs Before Drugs; and The Wake, which sees a recent widow struggling to navigate her husband's frenzied funeral.

'Pugs Before Drugs'

For your $25 ticket, you'll get to watch the hand-picked shorts and festival award-winners in one evening. You can also enjoy a complimentary Gage Roads beer, Rosnay Organic wine or PS organic soft drink and popcorn on arrival and have the chance to hear from the featured filmmakers before the screening.

To see the full program and grab tickets, head here.

Top images (in order): The Wake by Eddie Diamandi, and Dog Date Afternoon by Lachlan Ryan.