Tropfest 2026 | Roughcut announces program – Tropfest Roughcut 2026 today unveils a dynamic, future-facing panel program for the two-day initiative, supported by Screen Australia and powered by YouTube.
The event willbring some of the screen industry’s most influential creatives, executives and change-makers together to inspire the next generation of filmmakers. Speakers include Bus Stop Films’ Genevieve Clay-Smith, Superwog’s Theo Saidden, American film and television director Steph Green, director Yolanda Ramke, cinematographer John Seale and many more.
Taking place Friday 20 and Saturday 21 February at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) and designed specifically for emerging storytellers, Roughcut sessions span every stage of the creative journey – from finding your voice and shaping a short film, to transitioning to long-form work, directing TV, and navigating the rapidly evolving global screen landscape.
Featuring standout guests, the program offers rare access to award-winning directors, producers, cinematographers, broadcasters, distributors and digital platform leaders, alongside deeply practical conversations about craft, career sustainability and inclusivity.
Tickets are now available for one or two days. Sessions on Friday 20 February include:
From Idea to Short Film: Finding your voice, writing with impact, and translating a concept into a short film. Moderated byGenevieve Fricker, the panel will include John Polson (The Last Anniversary, The Mentalist, Elementary, The Walking Dead, Fringe) and Tropfest NY winner, Jason van Genderen (Mankind Is No Island, The Unspoken, Everybody’s Oma).
Short to Long: Join a panel of film makers, producers, exhibitors and distributers to explore the value of short film for your ideas, relationships and career. Presented by Screen Australia the session includes Kristina Ceyton (Producer & Co-Founder, Causeway Films), Paul Matereke (SFF Shorts Programmer), Yolanda Ramke (Cargo, The Haunting of Bly Manor, Troppo), Edwina Waddy (Roadshow Films, Head of Australian Content), and moderated by Sydney Film Festival’s Lisa Kitching.
Bus Stop Films: A Journey of Inclusivity: The Bus Stop Films Team speak on their experience at Tropfest, their journey so far, and the power of inclusivity in the industry.The session includeswriter, director, producer Genevieve Clay-Smith, Dianna La Grassa (COO & Head of Production), actor Gerard O’Dwyer and Eleanor Winkler (Producer & Co-Founder) and will be moderated by Tracey Corbin-Matchett OAM (CEO).
Breaking In & Breaking Through will explore how emerging filmmakers can leverage Tropfest, festivals and YouTube to build a sustainable business and a career. Panellists include YouTube creatorTheo Saidden (Superwog), Daniel Stephenson (YouTube Content Partnerships Manager) and Sav Yeldham (Managing Director Botanist Media, Tropfest’s Channel Management Partner). The session will be moderated by Genevieve Fricker.
On Saturday 21 February, sessions include:
Mastering Directing Television Worldwide: Moderated by Bruna Papandrea (The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, Big Little Lies, The Last Anniversary) this session will discuss career defining lessons and observations in TV Directing, focusing on transitioning from shorts to long-form. Panellists include Steph Green (Watchmen, Star Wars: Ahsoka, The Americans, The Good Daughter), Gracie Otto (Heartbreak High, Deadloch, The Artful Dodger, Seriously Red) and John Polson (The Last Anniversary, The Mentalist, Elementary, The Walking Dead, Fringe).
Cinematography Masterclass: Powered by SONY will feature key teachings and discussions across image composition, technical advancements as well as working with directors and actors to capture magical moments. Hosted by Genevieve Fricker, the session features Carolyn Constantine ACS (BUMP, Ten Pound Poms, NCIS: Sydney, He Had It Coming) and John Seale AM, ACS, ASC, (The English Patient, Dead Poet’s Society, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, Mad Max: Fury Road).
Creating Worlds by Design brings together a panel of acclaimed NIDA design alumni to explore how creative worlds are imagined and realised for stage and screen. The panel will delve into visual storytelling, collaborative processes with directors, and the realities of working with international crews. Speakers include Gypsy Taylor, 2026 AACTA Award nominee for Best Costume Design in Television for The Newsreader, and Fiona Donovan, winner of the 2026 AACTA Award for Best Production Design for The Correspondent, with more panellists to be announced.
The Future of Storytelling powered by YouTubesessionwith Pedro Correia (Customer Engineer – Google AI)will coverStreaming, AI, global co-production and navigating the rapidly evolving global screen landscape with cutting edge technology.
Tropfest Roughcut is open to emerging filmmakers, students, practitioners and creatives looking to deepen their skills, expand their networks and better understand the pathways available in today’s screen industry. Tropfest Roughcut is supported by Screen Australia and powered by YouTube with NIDA on board as a strategic partner, and Sony the official Camera Technology Partner.
EVENT DETAILS
Dates: Friday 20 February and Saturday 21 February 2026
Times: Sessions run from 10am-5pm each day.
Venue: NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art), Sydney
Tickets: One-day access $95, Two-day access $165, https://www.tropfest.com/roughcut
Tropfest returns to Sydney’s Centennial Park on Sunday, 22 February 2026. The event is FREE to attend and will be livestreamed globally on YouTube. For more information, visit tropfest.com or follow @tropfest on socials.
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Tropfest 2026 | Roughcut announces program
