National Open competition
The National Open competition is open to all filmmakers who were Australian residents at the time their film was produced. Prizes include $2,000 cash and "5 Minutes with a Producer" to practise pitching a feature film idea

National Youth competition
The National Youth competition is open to all Filmmakers who were Australian residents aged 18-25 years at the time their film was produced. Prizes include $1,500 cash and "5 Minutes with a Producer" to practise pitching a feature film idea

National Schools competition
National Schools competition is open to all filmmakers who were Australian residents attending Year 12 or below at the time their film was produced. Prizes include $750 cash, "5 Minutes with a Producer" to practise pitching a feature film idea

Canberra & Region competition
Canberra & Region competition is open to all Filmmakers who were Australian residents and residents of the Canberra region* at the time their film was produced. Prizes include $1,000 cash and "5 Minutes with a Producer" to practise pitching a feature film idea

The 15th Canberra Short Film Festival is the meeting place for Australia’s hottest short filmmakers. Recognised as one of the nation’s premier film competitions, it attracts makers and lovers of film from all over the country. The Festival operates with the generous support of the ACT Government and the Canberra business community, including major sponsors such as Festival organizer SilverSun Pictures, Dendy Cinemas, The University of Canberra Faculty of Arts and Design, The Canberra Weekly Magazine, Parlour Wine Room and Knightsbridge Penthouse, and Aurora Community TV (Sydney).

One of 2009’s Official Selection, Miracle Fish, by Canberra filmmaker Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey, went on to receive an Academy Award nomination and a string of international awards. In fact, many of our filmmakers go on to national and international success following screening at the Canberra Short Film Festival.

It’s your chance to see the next big filmmakers – up close and personal.
The Canberra Short Film Festival offers filmmakers the chance to compete in up to four categories; National Open, National Youth, National Schools, and Canberra & Region. Each category offers two prizes; one judged by respected and leading industry professionals, the other a People’s Choice award.

The Canberra Short Film Festival (CSFF) strongly supports the makers and producers of Australian short films. Its beginnings in 1996 saw Australian-made short films screened as an enjoyable addition to the Canberra International Film Festival's program.
The overwhelming popularity of this annual short film mini-festival inspired organisers to hold the first solo Festival in 1999 with two separate competitions - the National Short Film competition and the Young Canberra Filmmakers' competition.

That year, 30 short films where selected and screened to packed houses, receiving rave reviews. Since then the Festival has grown exponentially, with over 200 short films and music videos being submitted in 2007. 2002 saw the retirement of Festival Director Cris Kennedy who had lovingly run the Festival since its inception and introduced new festival directors, Marisa Martin and Matthew Fallon from EoR Media who began developing it into the vibrant Festival it is today. In 2008, Marisa passed leadership to the team at SilverSun Pictures, citing that the Festival "needs fresh blood and new ideas".
The team of creative professionals at SilverSun Pictures has been providing Canberra with concept to completion film & television production services for 15 years and have much enthusiasm to bring to this vibrant and eclectic event.