DIR: AP Pobjoy

Billie and Jesse, the untouchable lesbian couple, hit a bump when Jesse begins transitioning and realizes he’s attracted to men. To clarify their feelings, they arrange a secret threesome with a sex worker. When they meet Brad, a country boy who matches Jesse’s ideals, the couple is forced to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and their relationship. Director AP Pobjoy infuses their short with warmth, vulnerability, and authentic trans joy, capturing the messy, tender process of self-discovery and the courage it takes to embrace change together.

DIR: Annelise Hickey

When Adam, a self-absorbed and lonely millennial, wakes one morning to find his estranged half-brother on his doorstep, he must face the family he’s been running away from.

Premiering at Sundance, director Annelise Hickey’s second short film cements her status as an outstanding talent in Australian cinema. Inspired by her own experience reuniting with a half-brother, Stranger Brother offers a passionate and heartfelt portrayal of Pasifika men and the deep, unspoken bonds between siblings.

DIR: Lily Drummond

If dating is mostly small talk and social interaction, Lotte fears she’ll never find love. She turns to her close-knit group of friends for guidance in the messy world of dating—with unexpected results. Director Lily Drummond’s short is a love letter to anyone who has ever felt like the odd one out, and a beautifully realised, authentic celebration of first dates inspired by Drummond’s own experiences as a disabled and young queer person.

DIR: Chelsea Ingram

On their rural Queensland farm, fourteen-year-old Sam wrestles with a crush on Matt, his sister Bianca’s boyfriend. With no parental guidance and wild dogs roaming at night, the weekend becomes a volatile mix of desire, jealousy, and sibling tension. Director Chelsea Ingram’s intimate coming-of-age drama explores the queer experience within the context of the quintessential rural Australian landscape marked by toxic masculinity.

DIR: Kirsty Wilson

Every night, Kit dreams of the golden strap — the ultimate prize for the ultimate lesbian mud wrestler. Cheered on by sold-out community crowds, Lesbian Mud Wrestling regularly takes place as a way to raise funds for gender-affirming surgeries for legends like Kit. This latest release from Sapphic Flicks, directed by Kirsty Wilson, is an intimate and playful documentary that plunges you right into the mud, capturing Naarm’s young inclusive lesbian community as it is in 2025. God bless lesbians!

DIR: Domini Marshall

Domini Marshall’s Howl hits close to home, capturing the queer experience of teenage house parties in this visceral and tender short. Though set in the present day, it feels deeply familiar to queer people who grew up in Australia from the 1970s to today.

Best friends Daisy and Lila navigate the intense realities of being teenage girls in a patriarchal world—where consent is not always given, and sometimes, we can’t protect our friends. But we can howl.

DIR: Kylie Aoibheann

A trans woman inadvertently summons a demon while performing a ritual in the hope of getting a vagina.

Director Kylie Aoibheann brings together some of Australia’s hottest rising talent, to deliver an unflinchingly, demonic and darkly comic horror that will leave you wondering what entities may be listening to you from inside the house. Featuring gnarly practical effects and standout performances, this gem of a short film subverts the genre, while sacrificing none of horror tropes we love.

DIR: Leela Varghese

Lali has written her crush a song but her lyrical efforts are awkwardly misplaced. Saved by Ana, the two end up on a date, where Lali is forced to confront her prejudices. Directed by Leela Varghese (Lesbian Space Princess), this SXSW Special Jury Award Winning short is charming, exuberant, and a dreamy feast for the ears and eyes. Filmed in Adelaide’s Marys Poppins bar, with a comedic sensibility and a dorky genius rom com vibe, Varghese proves again her voice is one of the most important coming out of Australian cinema today.