Flickerfest is Australia’s largest short film festival, and it returns to The Mercury on Saturday, 9th May as part of its 2026 national tour, this year it celebrates its thirty fifth year. The two programmes are specially curated selection of highlights from Flickerfest’s Australian Academy® Qualifying competition programmes shown at Bondi earlier this year
The first program of the night is The Best of Australian Shorts, which will include five short films highlighting outstanding South Australian film makers including:
Boy of Fire, the story of Noah who has a secret, but when he falls for his boss’s daughter, the longer he keeps it hidden, the more dangerous it becomes. Winner of the Oscar Qualifying Lumix Award for Best Australian Short Film, the film is written and directed by Alies Sluiter, a Marryatville High School former student now living in the Adelaide Hills.
Alpha Test, is about a young detective who must solve a murder with the help of a hologram copy of the victim by Adelaide born and raised director/screenwriter, Stephen Packer and funded by The Mercury Cinema. It won the AFTRS award for Best Screenplay at Flickerfest 2026.
The Secret, the directorial debut by Yankunytjatjara woman Lilla Berry, is a raw and intimate story of a young woman alone and ashamed grappling with the weight of her choice as she endures an abortion at home.
The Way of the Wind, is set in the early 20th century after the expansive and violent Frontier Wars, The Ragged Man runs across the vast and abandoned landscapes of the Australian Outback. His past catches up to him as he has to come to terms with his violent past and his connection to a deadly sniper. It was shot in South Australia by Evandale local and Flickerfest alumni Nicholas Burt.
Boyish, is a story about Josh & Cam, two life long friends who test the boundaries of their friendship with a kiss by Adelaide director Scarlett Scherer.
Other highlights of the Australian program include actor/director Matt Day’s comedy, Baby Shower, starring the legendary Hugo Weaving in a dark comedy about family friendship and unexpected happenings at this familiar ritual.
Also, The Scan, written and directed by Jake Shannon which follows Jenny, a middle-aged woman whose MRI mishap sparks humour, intimacy, and self-discovery, celebrating individuality and human connection.
The second programme of the night is The Best of International Shorts which includes a host of international highlights enjoying their Australian premieres including:
The Oscar-winning The Singers, a powerful and intimate film featuring an eclectic cast of non-actors in a moving tribute to friendship.
The Oscar-nominated A Friend of Dorothy, starring UK acting royalty Miriam Margolyes and Stephen Fry, in a heartwarming journey where friendship is found in the most unexpected places.
Joining them is Indonesian film My Plastic Mother, winner of Flickerfest 2026 Best International Short Film.
Radix, winner of Best International Animation, a visually striking and imaginative animated short.
Also, actress Renee Zellweger’s directorial debut They, a fun film about coming together in trying times.
More information about the always brilliant night of short films is available here; Flickerfest | Adelaide
