Focus On Ability Short Film Festival 2026 awards head to Sydney and SBS – The festival’s 18th annual Red Carpet Awards will be held at The Concourse in Chatswood on Sunday, 18 October, ahead of a television presentation on SBS in December.
The 2026 competition attracted 240 submissions from 26 countries. Its short films and documentaries run for less than five minutes, placing the creativity and achievements of people with disability at the centre of the programme. The event welcomes filmmakers at different stages of their careers.
For viewers beyond Sydney, the awards are not the only way to encounter the work. SBS will screen a festival presentation on Thursday, 3 December, the International Day of People with Disability. Selected films are also planned for community screenings around Australia in 2027.
What to expect at the 2026 awards
The Chatswood afternoon runs from 1pm to 5pm. Musician Matt McLaren and the inclusive performing arts group The StarAbility Dancers will perform. An Australian and international panel will judge this year’s entries.
Presenters announced for the ceremony include Nick Hardcastle, Lynne McGranger, Tony Bonner AM, Christie Dawes, John Jarratt, Gerard O’Dwyer, James Stewart and Ada Nicodemo. NOVA Employment presents the festival, with Australia’s Disability Strategy as a major sponsor.
Willoughby Mayor Tanya Taylor welcomed the event to Chatswood, describing it as a celebration of talent and storytelling that challenges assumptions about disability. She said representation and inclusion were central to the festival’s purpose and to the local council’s involvement.
A growing audience for short films
Ambassador Paula Duncan is in her 16th year with Focus On Ability. She recalled watching the event grow since CEO Martin Wren established it in 2009. Duncan cited 283 submissions last year and an audience of more than 300,000 across online viewing and events.
The release also notes that 62 of last year’s entries came from school groups. That pathway gives emerging filmmakers a place alongside more experienced creators, while the short running time makes a broad range of perspectives possible in one programme.
The 2025 SBS broadcast reached more than 125,000 people and included 45 short films and documentaries, according to the organisers. The December 2026 screening continues the festival’s partnership with SBS; specific broadcast details beyond the date have not yet been announced.
Attendance at the 18 October awards is free, but registration is essential. The venue is The Concourse, Chatswood, NSW, and the event is scheduled for 1pm to 5pm.
For more TV Central SBS news, head here. For official event details and free registration, visit Focus On Ability.