The RSPCA Film Festival Is Back, With All Proceeds To Support Vulnerable Animals

The highly successful RSPCA in Shorts Film Festival returns for the second time with two heartwarming short films, showcasing the joy of making a difference. All proceeds from the fundraiser, first held in 2023, will go to supporting the RSPCA’s mission to treat, protect, and rehome animals. 

The event will be held in the evening of the 28th October 2026 at HOYTS Entertainment Quarter. Get ready to strut down the dazzling red carpet, celebrate the launch of a special new partnership, enter the draw to win an incredible raffle prize, and meet the Four Paws Welcome Committee.

As the RSPCA marks 153 years of caring for animals, this year’s festival showcases the exciting future the organisation has built alongside their loyal and dedicated supporters.

An Impactful Film Line-Up

The event will showcase two short films, Protection is Our Priority, Protection is our Promise and Animal Welfare 2040 – A Look to the Future.

Produced by an RSPCA staff member who also doubles as a skilled cameraman and film maker, these short films showcase the work of the RSPCA across all the communities and programs they work on.

“Everyone loves the big screen, and it makes a great canvas to showcase the vital impact community support has in enabling RSPCA NSW to perform our work and deliver the many services that we offer,” said Helen Trussler, Gifts in Wills Manager at the RSPCA and a leading organiser behind the event. “The films capture the compassion, resilience and hope at the heart of everything we do.”

While some of the content can be hard to spotlight due to the complex nature of the RSPCA’s work, the short films highlight the positive outcomes of the cases, the learnings that come from each one, and the positive outcomes for the animals involved. Expect heartwarming stories of rescues, advances in animal welfare, and the showcasing of the stories of the people behind each happy ending.

Community Pet Pantry Initiative

This year’s festival will support the Community Pet Pantry Initiative, which ensures pets stay with their families, regardless of difficulties they may be facing.

Guests are encouraged to bring a small bag of unopened pet food to the festival to assist families that are doing it tough. This food will be distributed to community organisations and food pantries across the RSPCA’s network so that families don’t need to make the hard decision between feeding themselves or feeding their pets.

This initiative has had a hugely successful impact on its communities. In the first three months of the Canberra community pet pantry initiative alone, over 2.7 tons of pet food has been distributed to community organisations, helping hundreds of families in Canberra.

Donation and Ticket Options

The film festival has two ticket options available. The Premium, All-Inclusive tickets are going for $70, and ticketholders can enjoy exclusive drinks and canapes before the screening, and an earlier entry at 6.00pm. Priced at $35, the Standard ticket includes access to the candy bar, with a 6.30pm arrival time.

Both ticketholders have unlimited access to popcorn, ice cream and soft drink to enjoy during the screening. Seats are limited, so booking early is recommended. Tickets can be booked here.  

If you can’t make it to the event, there is also an option to donate to the RSPCA and their impactful work at the booking link.

About the Festival

This year’s festival comes after a thriving festival in 2023, which left Helen Trussler buzzing from guests feedback. Her favourite part was “when they left the cinema saying how they had no idea about the depth of our work, how they’d love learning about everything we do, how they’d loved the mix of films we’d showed, and how the festival had brought it all to life.”

The festival was born to present the impact and express gratitude to RSPCA’s supporters and collaborators, as well as display the complexity of the RSPCA’s work within the community.