Reel art at Flickerfest 33
Image: Flickerfest 2023 outdoor cinema. Image: supplied
In January 2024, the Flickerfest International Short Film Festival will mark off an impressive 33 years of showcasing diverse, imaginative short films from new and emerging filmmakers around the world. The 10-day summertime event, held at its resident beachside location in Bondi Pavilion, is Australia’s preeminent short film festival, attended by influential film industry people, film lovers, and the celluloid curious.
More than 3,400 shorts from many different countries were submitted for the 2024 Flickerfest festival. This massive field has been whittled down to a shortlist of 200 films and thoughtfully curated into a program of 29 day and night sessions.
Every genre and style is represented in the Flickerfest program, and there is a broad and inclusive range in the content of the films. Festival goers can choose their preferred sessions based on themes, including European films (EU Shorts Showcase), LGBTQI films (Rainbow Shorts), kids and family-friendly films (FlickerKids), films about relationships (Love Bites), and comedy films (Short Laughs).
For makers of short films, Flickerfest is not only an opportunity to have their work showcased before an appreciative audience, it is also the chance to win a coveted award with prize money and even qualify for an Academy® Award.
Flickerfest is the only film festival in Australia that has Academy® accreditation and is BAFTA-recognised. Filmmakers who win in any of the following Flickerfest categories will also qualify for Oscar nomination: the Flickerfest Award for Best International Short Film, the Yoram Gross Award for Best International Animation, the Panasonic Lumix for Best Australian Short Film and the Flickerfest Award for Best Documentary.
Once the Bondi Beach event wraps up, a selection of films are taken on a festival tour around the country. It’s incredible exposure for emerging filmmakers.
Apart from the prestige and prizes available to filmmakers, Flickerfest is about celebrating the skill and joy of creating short films. This art form has grown in popularity and credibility.
The atmosphere on Bondi Beach is electric during the 10 days of Flickerfest. The recently refurbished Bondi Pavilion offers clean, modern facilities, a bar, and lots of food vendors nearby — not to mention the stunning breaking shores of the Pacific Ocean at its threshold.
Sessions are screened in the comfortable new indoor upstairs cinema as well as in the crisp, salt-filled alfresco amphitheatre. Attendees can rub shoulders with a range of industry people, actors, and celebrities in a chilled, relaxed, friendly setting. It’s all about the vibe.
