Screen Queensland has unveiled a new Short Film Fund, offering grants of up to $50,000 for scripted and factual projects between five and 15 minutes in length.
The initiative, announced today, is the agency’s first dedicated short film funding program since 2021’s RIDE Shorts, which focused on amplifying underrepresented voices in the state’s screen sector.
Screen QLD Short Film Fund quick links
As reported in IF, the fund arrives amid a broader resurgence of interest in short filmmaking from national screen bodies – most notably Screen Australia, which reintroduced short film support earlier this year after a seven-year hiatus (the current round of funding closes in October).
The Short Film Fund is open to emerging and mid-career Queensland-based producers and directors. Projects can span any genre or subject, but must demonstrate creative ambition, cultural or market relevance, and a clear pathway to audiences, such as film festivals or digital distribution platforms.
Short Film Fund a ‘launchpad for extraordinary careers’
Screen Queensland CEO Jacqui Feeney said the new fund is designed to give local filmmakers a valuable career springboard while deepening the agency’s commitment to talent development.
‘Short films prove storytelling ability and can be the launchpad for extraordinary careers,’ said Feeney. ‘We are backing aspiring Queensland filmmakers to craft bold stories that could one day premiere on the world stage.’
Feeney also noted that the initiative complements the agency’s broader talent pipeline, including programs such as The Writers’ Room, by offering practitioners real-world production experience and a platform for exposure.
Short Film Fund: part of Queensland’s 10-year screen strategy
The fund forms part of the Queensland Government’s long-term investment in the state’s creative industries, a 10-year plan known as ‘Queensland’s Time to Shine’.
Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek welcomed the announcement, framing it as a strategic move to grow the state’s screen ecosystem:
‘This initiative represents a targeted investment in Queensland’s creative economy, supporting local talent to develop original work, build sustainable careers and reach broader markets,’ said Minister Langbroek.
‘It reflects our vision to grow a vibrant screen sector that connects Queenslanders through storytelling and showcases our unique voices to the world.’
The Short Film Fund is now open for applications and will close on Thursday 19 September 2025.
Further information, including eligibility and application guidelines, is available via Screen Queensland’s website.
Also on ScreenHub: ‘Creative theft’: screen and arts bodies respond to shocking AI reform in PC’s 2025 report
A new interim report from Australia’s Productivity Commission has sparked strong backlash from across the country’s creative sectors, with multiple guilds and industry bodies voicing concern over proposed changes to copyright law – changes that would allow AI developers to legally access and use copyrighted content for training purposes.
Titled Harnessing Data and Digital Technology, the 116-page report explores a range of policy reform options, including the potential introduction of a Text and Data Mining (TDM) exception to the Copyright Act.
Such an exception would enable artificial intelligence companies to mine and use copyrighted material without the need for licensing agreements, permission, or remuneration.
In layman’s terms, that means if you have published any kind of creative work in the past, like a film, photograph, script, voice over, book, artwork, and so on, an AI company can data mine that work to produce a ‘new’ artificially generated work for training purposes. This is something the industry is calling a ‘retroactive legalisation of theft’.
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