St Kilda Film Festival

Overview

It's been true for 41 years now, and it's true again in 2025: you'll find big things in small packages at the St Kilda Film Festival. Australia's oldest short film festival has now spent more than four decades celebrating bite-sized filmmaking. Shorts couldn't be more crucial to the cinematic cycle of life — they're where directors, writers, actors and more cut their teeth; they make excellent calling cards and stepping stones; and telling a tale in a concise way is a pivotal skill that isn't always put into action in full-length features — which this Melbourne event champions annually.

Showcasing all of the above is again on the marquee this year, lighting up the silver screen from Thursday, June 5–Sunday, June 15. Talents with their work on the lineup today could be tomorrow's huge names; this is an event that's played shorts by Adam Elliot (Memoir of a Snail), Matthew Saville (Noise), Kriv Stenders (The Correspondent), Cate Shortland (Black Widow) and Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog) in the past.

On 2025's bill: 11 days of screenings heroing short flicks of all genres, plus a range of talks, panels, special events and live performances. It all kicks off with a spectacular opening night at the Palais Theatre hosted by Charlie Pickering, then also hits up The Astor Theatre, JMC Academy's Park Street campus, The Backlot Studios, Victorian Pride Centre, St Kilda Town Hall and South Melbourne Market.

As always, the backbone of the festival is Australia's top short films, complete with filmmakers from every corner of the country competing for prizes. Also on the bill at ticketed screenings: programs dedicated to queer, First Nations, documentary, family-friendly animation, Aussie comedy, international, mystery, drama, experimental, female-directed and Victorian-made shorts.

Plus, Oscar-winning animator Joan Gratz, who is known for her clay-painting technique, is 2025's special guest.

Palais Theatre image: J Forsyth.