Australian Showcase – Official Opening

MIAF 26 opens with our annual showcase of the best new Australian animation. Australian animators are a creative and inventive bunch. The films they produce vividly reflect their eclectic approach to making wildly entertaining animated shorts that blend the best of international ideas and technologies with a uniquely Australian voice, look and flavour. The big screen is where these films look and sound their best and celebrating Australian animation is MIAF’s most important mission. Many of the filmmakers will be present to introduce their film and the bar will be open in plenty of time so be part of getting MIAF 26 off to a flying start!

The Fractured
Niko Kumberger, Nhu “Ted” Nguyen
Australia, 3’11, 2025
In a cursed forest where every creature wears a mask to live, one tries to cheat death before its own mask breaks.

Glasshouse Heart
Marianne Bravo
Australia, 7’00, 2026
A Princess satisfies the Rabbit King’s hunger – whatever the cost.

Clustomer Service
Keira Ryan
Australia, 4’48, 2025
It’s moments before the doors get thrown open for the annual Mega Sale and doubts are setting in amongst the retail foot soldiers that will have to front the hordes.

Connected Nature
Paul Fletcher
Australia, 4’41, 2025
An audiovisual evocation – and celebration – of a connection to our sense of being; our common ground with all nature.

Control
Dennis Tupicoff
Australia, 5’05, 2026  
…

A History Of Prehistory
Matt Bissett-Johnson
Australia, 1’56, 2026
A laconic, irony-infused look at the unwitting, witty, and witless roles that dinosaurs played in our history.

Tortoise
Mawrgan Shaw
Australia, 6’00, 2025
Observed by an elderly figure, a child faces a moment of quiet significance when they encounter a tortoise on its back.

A Broken Sky
Kelly Gilkes
Australia, 3’16, 2025
The sky cracks, the world stirs, and as the stars begin to rain down their lives will change forever.

If/When
Courtney Westbrook
Australia, 9’40, 2025
A surreal, time-bending exploration of love, fate, and what it means to hold on, if and when you can.

Dissimulator
Holland Kerr
Australia, 3’31, 2024
On a hot desert planet, an astronaut is lured deep into an alien cave by the siren song of water.

The Wonderland Stalker
Harrison Littler, Chantal Smith
Australia, 4’31, 2025
Alone in the woods, Alice encounters an enigmatic Cheshire Cat; a smiling phantom whose riddles only lead her deeper into the unknown.

Fragile
Yuping Shi
Australia, 3’46, 2025
Saimo finds a special fast-track pathway to the centre of the world, but there’s a nightmare waiting to find Saimo.

Cursed Dogs
Ryu Leon Yamada Nguyen
Australia, 3’34, 2025
Locked in mortal combat, two pilots fight to the bitter end, each desperate to survive, to kill, and to see their families again.

Not In The Mood
Cameron Tyler
Australia, 3’04, 2025
Stan’s quiet night in with a whisky, a book, and his cat, is ruined by a noisy neighbour with a different agenda.

Plumpin: Hat
Ivan Dixon
Australia, 4’19, 2025
A chubby bird teaches the critters that live in the backyard what it means to be a hat in this hilarious sequel to last year’s ‘Best Aus Film’ winner.

Oniko
Alex Weight
Australia, 5’30, 2025
In Edo Japan, a hunted princess flees with her newborn child through snow and storm, forced to unleash a dark secret in order to survive.

Devil’s Debt
Trinity Phillips
Australia, 5’28, 2025
Seven Shots – Seven Sins – One Devilish Debt to pay!

This session is classified: Unclassified (M) Mature, not recommended for viewers under 15 years.