FINALISTS 2025

Best Film is announced on the night. People’s Choice is the best film as chosen by the Opening Night audience for an Opening night film.

Best Australian
Dawn in Paradise, Alice Bishop, Craig Reasons -Winner
In Human Skin, Kai Tan, Rayner Lim
Choice, Cate Commisso, Australia

Best International
Cloud Study, Esa-Lu Lorenz, Germany
A Study of Empathy, Hilke Rönnfeldt, Denmark – winner
A 10 Minute Swim, Achilles Tsoutsis, Greece

Best Documentary
Extra Time – The Melbourne’s Happiest Tram Driver, Ivan Chiou, Australia
Elsa and Ervin, Mark Hellinger, Australia.
Memories of Occupation – Pyrgi, Dimitris Argyriou, Greece – winner

Best Emerging
One Minute in Hell, Sam Sungmin Lee.
In Human Skin, Kai Tan, Rayner Lim – winner
Caroline, Chanelle Hayden

Best Film By A Female Filmmaker
Choice, Cate Commisso, Australia
A Study of Empathy, Hilke Rönnfeldt, Denmark
Under the Water, Isabella Andronos, Australia – winner
Over the hill, Chloe Nash – Highly Commended

Best Comedy
Dawn In Paradise, Alice Bishop, Craig Reasons – winner
Last Call, Tristan Braines
Retirement Plan, John Erasmus

Best West
Get home safe, January Jones
Old Dogs, Will Brien – winner
Over the hill, Chloe Nash

 Best Animation
The One Who Knows, Eglė Davidavičė – winner
The Clever Mouse, Liam Ralley, Australia
Circuit, Keeley Blackwood

Best Cultural and Linguistic Diversity (CALD)
Gîtar, Jack Rintoul
Mother Tongue, Lavanya Wickramasinghe
Elsa and Ervin, Mark Hellinger

Best Acting Performance
Alice Bishop, Dawn in Paradise
Farhad Bandesh, Gîtar, Winner
Georgie Smibert, Choice

Best Secondary
Man or Bear? Ivy Tucker
A Mother’s Instinct, Makayla Jane Doyle
A Family Affair, William Alexander Genat, Winner.