Strictly the Best Short Films!

Celebrating its 34th year, Flickerfest - Australia’s only Academy® Award and BAFTA qualifying short film festival, and the country’s largest Australian & International short film competition - screens the best of shorts from Australia and the world, selected from a record 3,500 entries to present A-list short film programmes recognised amongst the best in the world.

Wednesday 30 April (recheduled from 26 April due to rain) - Best of Australian Shorts,* hand-picked from the 2025 FLiCKERFEST Festival in Bondi. Click here to see the programme and scroll down for a special announcement* about 'Echoes of Dissent', a film with Brewarrina and Lightning Ridge connections.
Saturday 17 May - Short Laughs Comedy, short comedies by filmmakers from Australia and around the world. Click here for the programme.

Flickerfest screens for 10 days under the summer stars at Bondi Beach in January, with a selection of the most entertaining and innovative short films going on to tour over 40 venues nationally.

Flickerfest returns with this annual one-off chance to see the best of its programmes under the winter stars at Lightning Ridge. The Australian Opal Centre is delighted to bring you two brilliant nights of the best short films, officially selected for the Flickerfest National Tour, before these films continue their journey around the world!

Tickets for two nights are available at a discounted price by purchasing a Season Ticket. Click Get Tickets then choose the Season Pass.

Can't make it both nights? Simply purchase a ticket for your preferred evening.

If you can afford to make a donation to support AOC cultural events, we'd be very grateful.Donations help us keep prices down so Australian Opal Centre programs are affordable for as many people as possible.

ON THE NIGHT

Doors open from 5.45pm; please arrive by 6.15pm and be seated by 6.25. Each night features:

9 short films over 2 1/2 hours including a 15 minute interval
Award-winning short films, fresh from the FLiCKERFEST festival at Bondi Pavilion
The screening will be outdoors and it could be chilly so be sure to wear warm clothes!
We'll provide chairs, stars and fire bins
BYO snacks and drinks
BYO rugs or blankets

Note: programme contains mature themes; not recommended for children under 15. Children under 15yrs may attend but must be accompanied by an adult.

For Group bookings call 0403 492 462.

* SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: 'Echoes of Dissent' added to 'Best of Australian Shorts' Program for Lightning Ridge

Echoes of Dissent is an 8 minute documentary starring David Nicholls, a Ngemba man from Brewarrina who plays the role of Anthony Martin Fernando in the film. Director and producer Dylan Nicholls has a special connection to Lightning Ridge. His late grandfather, Charles Chapman, worked at Lightning Ridge as an opal miner for many years and Dylan's parents, David and Donna, met at Lightning Ridge and later (in 1990) married at Lightning Ridge Bowling Club.

Echoes of Dissent features footage from Brewarrina, where David reflects on his childhood growing up in the area. We're hoping that members of Dylan's family, including his Uncle David Samuelsson and Aunty Shelia Nagy, will be at the screening.

Still from 'Echoes of Dissent', Director & Producer Dylan Nicholls