Rolling out the red carpet for 23 Film Festivals across NSW

Screen NSW is rolling out the red carpet for film lovers across the state as twenty-three community film festivals benefit from the Community Film Festival Opening Night Fund.

The Community Film Festival Opening Night Fund was introduced to support community film festivals ranging from genre-specific cinema to culturally diverse, regional, and emerging communities grow the reach and impact of their established film festivals.

This year’s recipients represent a wide range of festivals dedicated to celebrating cultural storytelling and engaging audiences with inspiring and thought-provoking films.

Festivals supported through the Fund are held right across the state, and include Mardi Gras Film Festival in Sydney, Lebanese Film Festival in Western Sydney, Perfect Light Film Festival in Broken Hill and Byron Bay International Film Festival in Byron Bay.

The Community Film Festival Opening Night Fund is part of the NSW Government’s broader commitment to develop and support the local film industry and build audiences and community engagement as part of the three-year NSW Screen & Digital Games Strategy.

The fund provides grants of up to $5,000 for established community film festivals to bring communities together in country cinemas and suburban centres to celebrate and connect through film.

More information on the fund can be found here.

Full list of Community Film Festival Opening Night Fund recipients:

• Africa Film Fest Australia (AFFA), Parramatta
• Alliance Francaise French Film Festival, Various locations across Sydney including Chippendale, Cremorne, Leichhardt, Moore Park, Paddington, Roseville and Warriewood
• Antenna Documentary Film Festival, Randwick
• Armenian Film Festival, Ryde
• Australian Women's Film Festival, Sydney
• Avoca Beach Theatre Annual French Film Festival, Avoca
• Bangalow Film Festival, Bangalow
• Byron Bay International Film Festival, Byron Bay
• Flickerfest Film Festival, Bondi and Mullumbimby
• Greek Film Festival, Leichhardt
• Inner West Film Fest, Marrickville
• Lebanese Film Festival, Bankstown
• Made in the West Film Festival, Liverpool
• Mardi Gras Film Festival, Sydney
• Perfect Light Film Festival, Broken Hill
• Persian Film Festival Australia, Leichhardt
• Polish Film Festival, Sydney
• Reelise Film Festival, Randwick
• SF3 - SmartFone Flick Fest, Paddington
• South African Film Festival, Randwick
• StarBurst Film Festival and Filmmaking Symposium, Penrith
• Sydney Underground Film Festival, Newtown
• Very Short Film Festival, Coffs Harbour

Image: Alliance Francaise French Film Festival 2025 Opening Night. Supplied by Alliance France French Film Festival.