Tier 2
Melbourne, Australia
Last verified 12 June 2026
Proudly presented and produced by the City of Port Phillip, the St Kilda Film Festival supports the Australian film industry by showcasing its best short films in a tightly curated program that includes more than 100 ‘in competition’ works. These films, made by emerging and accomplished industry professionals, are in with a chance to share in a massive prize pool; and as an Academy Awards qualifying event, award-winning films from the Festival are also eligible for consideration in the Short Film Awards and Documentary Short sections of the Oscars®.
Oscar Documentary Short · Documentary Short Subject
Must win Best Documentary Short at St Kilda Film Festival. Australian films only are eligible for Oscar consideration through this festival.
Oscar Live Action Short · Live Action Short Film
Must win Best Live Action Short Film at St Kilda Film Festival. Australian films only are eligible for Oscar consideration through this festival.
The main submission deadline for St Kilda Film Festival is around 31 January 2026. Confirmed for the current edition.
Submitting to St Kilda Film Festival costs from USD 35 as a rough guide. Entry fees usually rise closer to the deadline and vary by category.
No premiere requirement. St Kilda Film Festival accepts films that have screened elsewhere.
Yes. St Kilda Film Festival can qualify a film for an Academy Award (Oscar), subject to the specific category and condition for each award. The exact route differs per award body.
St Kilda Film Festival takes place in Melbourne, Australia.
St Kilda Film Festival is a legitimate, established film festival: it is listed in Circkit's curated, human-vetted festival database, which deliberately excludes known scam festivals and certificate mills; it ranks among the upper tiers of the festival circuit. As with any festival, confirm the current deadline and fee on the official site before you pay. You can also run St Kilda Film Festival through Circkit's free Scam Radar for an independent safety check.
Circkit scores this festival against your film, protects your premiere, and tracks the deadline for you. Free to start.
Want an independent check? Run St Kilda Film Festival through the free Scam Radar.