Sydney Film Festival and Lexus Australia are encouraging all up and coming Australian filmmakers to enter the Lexus Australia Short Film Fellowship through Sydney Film Festival, with submissions accepted from 4 December 2017 until 29 January 2018.

The Fellowship is the largest cash prize for short film in Australia, offering $50,000 each to four filmmakers to produce their next short film.

All new entries are welcomed, and Australian filmmakers who have submitted this year through the international competition – Lexus Short Films – are encouraged to re-submit through the Sydney Film Festival website.

The Lexus Australia Short Film Fellowship, as in previous years, will shortlist 20 finalists early next year. The four winning Fellows will be announced during Sydney Film Festival in June 2018, and see their work premiered at the 2019 Festival.

Finalists are selected by a jury panel of Australian independent industry professionals, which have previously included David Wenham and Judy Davis as Jury Chairs.

“Lexus Australia is proud to continue to provide a platform for emerging Australian filmmakers to showcase their talent and work toward the pinnacle of excellence in craftsmanship,” said Vin Naidoo, Corporate Manager of Lexus Australia.

“The Fellowship is an important investment in finding and developing new Australian filmmakers, and encouraging them to innovate, create and one day transform their craft,” he said.

Australian filmmakers have until 29 January to submit or resubmit their entries, with the Fellows to be announced during the 2018 Sydney Film Festival.

It’s a simple process with no entry fee and no complex application processes. All filmmakers have to submit is an eligible film and CV via

www.filmfestivallife.com/Lexus-Australia-Short-Film-Fellowship-2018

For more information on the Lexus Australia Short Film Fellowship, visit:

www.sff.org.au/fellowship.