The 74th edition of the Australian festival will run June 9–20, with the $60,000 Sydney Film Prize leading an expanded awards program that includes a boosted $40,000 First Nations Award.

The Sydney Film Festival has opened submissions for its 2027 edition, offering a record $205,000 in prize money as the long-running Australian event looks to attract filmmakers from across the globe.

Returning to cinemas across Sydney from June 9–20, 2027, the 74th Sydney Film Festival will feature a program spanning Australian and international fiction, documentaries, short films and experimental cinema. Submissions are now open through FilmFreeway, with entries closing February 26, 2027.

The festival’s expanded prize pool marks its largest in history, with the prestigious Sydney Film Prize offering $60,000 to the winner of its Official Competition. The awards lineup also includes the $40,000 Sustainable Future Award, described by the festival as the world’s largest environmental film prize, and an increased $40,000 First Nations Award, supported by sponsor Truant Pictures.

The First Nations Award has increased by $5,000 for 2027, reinforcing the festival’s commitment to supporting Indigenous filmmakers and their work. The remaining awards include the $20,000 Documentary Australia Award, five $7,000 prizes for Australian short films through the Dendy Awards, and the $10,000 Sydney-UNESCO City of Film Award, presented by Screen NSW to a leading New South Wales-based screen practitioner.

“For more than 70 years, Sydney Film Festival has connected bold filmmakers with audiences ready to discover new work,” said festival director Nashen Moodley. “Offering our biggest prize pool yet, including an increased First Nations Award, is a clear commitment to the artists who make this Festival what it is. We can’t wait to discover the films that will shape the 2027 program.”

A major platform for Australian and international cinema

Sydney Film Festival occupies a significant position in the international festival circuit. It is Australia’s only festival accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF) and is an Academy Award-qualifying festival, providing a platform for filmmakers seeking international exposure and industry recognition.

The annual event brings together established directors, emerging talent and audiences for premieres across feature films, documentaries and shorts, with a particular focus on work from Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region.

The 2026 edition welcomed filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, who accepted the Sydney Film Prize in person for Minotaur, while Academy Award nominee Kleber Mendonça Filho served as president of the Official Competition jury.

For 2027, every feature-length film selected for the festival will automatically be considered for the Official Competition and its $60,000 top prize, giving filmmakers across the program an opportunity to compete for one of the event’s most prominent awards.

Dendy Awards spotlight Australian short films

The festival will also return with the Dendy Awards for Australian Short Films, Australia’s longest-running short film competition. Five awards, each carrying $7,000 in prize money, will recognise achievements across filmmaking and screen craft.

The categories include the Dendy Live Action Short Award for best Australian fiction short, the Rouben Mamoulian Award for best short film director, the Yoram Gross Animation Award for best Australian animated short, the AFTRS Craft Award and the Event Cinemas Rising Talent Award for Screenwriting.

The latter will recognise an emerging screenwriter from the competition’s 10 shortlisted films, providing a dedicated pathway for new writing talent.

The festival is accepting Australian features exceeding 40 minutes, international features exceeding 40 minutes and documentaries of any length for consideration. Additional categories include the Documentary Australia Award, the First Nations Award and the Sustainable Future Award, alongside the Screenability program for filmmakers living with disability.

International short filmmakers can also submit works under 15 minutes to FLUX: Art+Film, which focuses on innovative, avant-garde and experimental filmmaking, and Freak Me Out, dedicated to horror, action and cult arthouse cinema.

The festival says filmmakers should review eligibility requirements, including premiere status, before submitting. Entry fees apply across most programs, although submissions to the Screenability and First Nations programs are fee-waived.

Submissions deadline set for February 2027

With the record prize pool spanning competitive features, documentary filmmaking, environmental storytelling, First Nations cinema and emerging Australian talent, the 2027 Sydney Film Festival is positioning its next edition as a significant opportunity for filmmakers seeking recognition and a connection with audiences.

Submissions are open now through FilmFreeway and close February 26, 2027.

The 74th Sydney Film Festival will take place June 9–20, 2027, across cinemas in Sydney.

Submission details

• Deadline: February 26, 2027
• Submission platform: FilmFreeway — filmfreeway.com/SydneyFilmFestival
• Festival information: sff.org.au/info/submissions
• Festival dates: June 9–20, 2027
• Total prize pool: $205,000

For filmmakers looking to bring new work to one of the Asia-Pacific region’s established cinema events, the call for entries marks the beginning of the road to Sydney in 2027.