JOY HOUSE FILM FESTIVAL
About the Joy House Film Festival
Celebrating Joy, Diversity and Bold Storytelling
Founded in 2013, the Joy House Film Festival is Australia’s only short film festival with JOY at its heart, alongside a strong commitment to diversity. Created to spotlight emerging filmmakers, the festival provides a vibrant platform for fresh voices, original ideas and stories that inspire, uplift and connect audiences.
Each year, the festival celebrates outstanding filmmaking through a range of awards, including Best Film, the Cultural Impact Award, and the Changemaker Award for Women, recognising filmmakers who bring creativity, diversity and positive social impact to the screen.
Celebrating Remarkable Talent
Over the years, Joy House Film Festival has proudly showcased filmmakers whose careers have continued to flourish on the international stage.
Notable alumni include Jacob Frey, whose heartwarming animated short The Present, about a boy and an injured puppy, captured the attention of Disney and led to a job offer. Another audience favourite, Joy & Heron, a charming four minute animated film by Kyra & Constantin, has gone on to receive international acclaim.
Festival alumni Gervais Merryweather, whose short Buy Buy Baby screened at the festival’s inaugural year, is now working with Walt Disney Animation on Moana 2.
In 2023, Radheya Jan Jegatheva’s Bird Drone took home Best Film. The touching story of a seagull who falls in love with a drone went on to achieve remarkable success, winning multiple awards including Australia’s Best Short Film in 2024.
A Festival That Keeps Growing
The 2024–25 Joy House Film Festival was a sold out celebration at Randwick Ritz, showcasing an exciting collection of diverse and original short films.
The winners included Celeste Diep for Happy New Year, Ms Luna, receiving the Coles Joy House Film Festival Award; Angela Blake for Career Fight, taking home the Stephen Wong Photography Cultural Impact Award; and Madeleine Wighton, recipient of the Pepe Saya Changemaker Award for Women.
Celeste Diep’s Happy New Year, Ms Luna went on to be selected for Cannes 2025, another wonderful achievement for a Joy House Film Festival alumna.
In 2026, the 12th annual Joy House Film Festival once again filled Randwick Ritz, with an audience of around 200 people coming together to celebrate short filmmaking, diversity and the joy of cinema.
This year’s winners were Cacey Baker’s One More For Safety, winner of the Four Frogs/ AWG Best Film Award; Ganibarra, winner of the Stephen Wong Photography Cultural Impact Award; and Katie Ord’s A Life in Transactions, recipient of the Pepe Saya / WIFT Changemaker Award for Women.
Thank you to Four Frogs, Stephen Wong, Pepe Saya, Australian Writer’s Guild and Women in Film N.S.W. for being our official sponsors for 202.
Spreading Joy Through Storytelling
At its heart, Joy House Film Festival is about creating opportunities, discovering new talent and giving diverse filmmakers a place to be seen and heard.
The festival remains committed to uplifting diverse voices, celebrating emerging talent and spreading joy through storytelling.
Joy House Film Festival is proudly supported by the Diversity Committee of the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA), which was co founded by Festival Director Joy Hopwood.
Upcoming Event: Sunday 13th September 2026
Venue: Randwick Ritz
5-5.05pm Acknowledgement to Country
5-6pm Short Films
6-6.15pm Announcement of winners
Awards & Prizes
Up to $1000 worth of prizes. Prizes include -vouchers, movie tickets, show bags, Haribo lollies etc.
Prizes for Best Film, Best Cultural Impact Award, and the Changemaker Award for Women.
Supported by Actor's Equity Australia's Diversity Committee.
Rules & Terms
Light entertainment short films. Short films must be made within 5 years and they must have a scene of JOY (happiness) in the short film. Open to drama, comedy, animation, stop animation, music video, action etc.
If selected, the short film must be submitted for exhibition in Mp4 or mov (formatted 25 frames / p.s / or 24 frames /p.s only ) mp4
https://filmfreeway.com/JoyHouseFilmFestival
FILM SUBMISSIONS
JOY’S FILM HOUSE
Joy's Film House is a new series featuring interviews with award winning filmmakers, a spin-off branch of Joy House Film Festival, now in its 11th year.
Episode One features 2023-4 Joy House Film Festival winner Radheya Jegatheva, for Bird Drone, which has gone on to win 16 awards including 2 Academy award qualifying festivals. Bird Drone is about a seagull who falls in love with a drone, a touching story and one of Joy House Film Festival favourites.
An insightful interview about the making of Bird Drone, with filmmaking tips and what’s next for Radheya, a very talented filmmaker; one to look out for. I believe he will be an Oscar winner in the future.
Episode two features Bina Bhattacharya, award winning filmmaker who wrote, directed & produced, From All Sides. It is one of eight Australian films in the Goes to Cannes program, where seven festivals are invited to present five works-in-progress to the Marché du Film. The market, which runs concurrently with the festival's glamorous world premieres, is Cannes's business side, where sales, financing and distribution deals are made. Its motto is "the heart of the film industry".