Acclaimed industry judges for the Creative Wollongong Short Film Competition have been revealed at a local film industry networking event this week.
Wollongong City Council and competition partner Screen Illawarra are thrilled to confirm award-winning film and television producer Vincent Sheehan (Fisk, Mullet, Jasper Jones), actor and activist Yael Stone (Orange is the New Black), and one of Australia's most experienced producers Ian Collie (Colin from Accounts, The Twelve), as the judges for the growing local film competition and festival.
With decades of combined experience across production, performance and storytelling, they bring a wealth of expertise and prestige to the event, promising invaluable insight and recognition for emerging filmmakers.
Back for the third time in 2025/26, the Creative Wollongong Short Film Competition is open to local filmmakers of all ages and experience levels, with $5,000 in cash and industry prizes up for grabs.
Mirroring a Tropfest tradition, all entries are required to reference the same 'signature item' – this year's being birds - which can be included as an object, an overall theme, or something else entirely.
Competition entries close on 30 January 2026, with the best entries going on to be screened at the Creative Wollongong Short Film Festival, a free community event on 7 March 2026 being held as part of the Sunset Cinema program.
Also announced were the recipients of six short film commissions, awarded to local creatives Elkie Chadwick, Ruth Larner, Jane Fullerton-Smith, Vlad Zokitch, Glenn Hanns and Rose Newland. Their scripts were selected from almost 40 pitches made to Screen Illawarra. The commission winners will receive $2,000 each and have been paired with a professional local production company, with the resulting films making their debut as part of the festival.
