The Newcastle International Short Film Festival (NiSFF) is back this November, bringing two nights of global cinema to the Royal Exchange Hybrid Theatrette.
Now in its eighth year, the festival will showcase short films from around the world, offering local audiences a front-row seat to international storytelling and creativity.
NiSFF will feature films from countries including Spain, South Korea, Mexico, Japan, India, Iran, the USA, the UK, and Australia, with each night screening a completely different program.
Every film shown is a nominee for one of the festival’s awards, ensuring audiences experience the best of global short filmmaking in a compact, captivating format.
The festival has built a strong reputation for accessibility and inclusion, welcoming submissions from filmmakers of all financial backgrounds and technical abilities.
Rather than focusing on expensive production formats, NiSFF prioritises imagination and storytelling, creating a platform for voices and visions that might otherwise go unheard.
With categories spanning animation, live-action drama, comedy, experimental films, horror, art, and documentary, NiSFF celebrates the full spectrum of short filmmaking.
There’s even a dedicated category for Regional NSW creators, along with a call for films as short as five minutes, including those shot on smartphones. Each screening promises a mix of humour, heartbreak, and originality, with many past entries going on to win major international awards.
Festival organisers say Newcastle is more than ready to host world-class cultural events of this calibre, pointing to the region’s growing population and thriving creative scene.
The Newcastle International Short Film Festival 2025 will run across Friday 21 and Saturday 22 November 2025 with screenings from 8 pm each night at the Royal Exchange Hybrid Theatrette. Submissions are open until 10 November. For more details, visit their Facebook page or get in touch via nisffest@gmail.com. Tickets are available via eventbrite.com.au.
