Sydney World Film Festival 2025 – Award Winners Announced

Last night marked the close of another buzzing edition of the Sydney World Film Festival, a grassroots celebration of bold, independent cinema from across the globe. Hosted over four evenings at our home base in Sydney, the festival drew a lively and engaged crowd of film lovers and filmmakers, with screenings introduced by long-time industry champion John Samaha.

This year’s Official Selection featured 29 hand-picked films—a tight, diverse lineup drawn from more than a thousand submissions. From raw debuts to refined experiments, the program offered a snapshot of independent filmmaking at its most daring and personal.

The jury has spoken, and we’re thrilled to announce the 2025 Sydney World Film Festival award winners:

• Best Narrative Feature Film: Coexistence (Dominican Republic) – José Gómez De Vargas

• Best Narrative Short Film: A Mother Goes To The Beach (Portugal) – Pedro Hasrouny

• Best Documentary Short Film: Georgie (United States) – Jennie Butler

• Best Animated Film: Cymebelle (Australia) – Linn Htut Oo

• Best Experimental Film: Myth (Australia) – Oliver Whitehouse

• Best Music Video: Eating Heartache (Australia) – Jason Tran

• Best Super Short Film: Third Wheel (Switzerland) – Kevin Haefelin

• Best Australian Film: The Message (Australia) – Tom Spark

A huge congrats to all the winners—and to every filmmaker who took part and trusted us with their work.

We also want to thank our community partners, especially Palace Cinemas and Velvet Room, for continuing to support truly independent cinema.

Call for Entries – 2026 Now Open

We’re already looking ahead to next year. Submissions for the 2026 Sydney World Film Festival are now open on FilmFreeway:
👉 https://filmfreeway.com/SydneyWorldFilmFestival

See you next year in the dark.

About SWFF

The Sydney World Film Festival started in 2015 as an online-only event, quietly building a reputation among filmmakers who didn’t fit the mainstream mold. With no red carpets or celebrity distractions, it was about the work—and the work spoke loud.

In 2018, the festival took root in a physical venue, opening its doors to live audiences while staying true to its underground edge. Since then, SWFF has become an alternative voice in Australia’s film scene—a space for filmmakers with something to say and nothing to prove.

If you like your cinema bold, strange, and uncensored, you’ve come to the right place.