A filmmaker lab for the next generation of Australian storytellers.

A two-day immersive program supported by Screen Australia and powered by YouTube designed to sharpen your craft, expand your thinking, and connect you to the industry.

It brings together emerging filmmakers, industry voices and creative leaders for honest conversations, practical learning and meaningful connection.

Tropfest Roughcut is for emerging and early-career filmmakers who want to take their ideas further. Across talks, workshops and live sessions, Roughcut delivers practical tools, real insight, and direct access to people shaping the future of Australian storytelling.

While Tropfest has long championed the art of the short film, Roughcut shifts the focus to what comes next - bridging the gap between short-form creation and long-form career sustainability. The program is designed as a dedicated market-readiness accelerator, supporting filmmakers as they transition from emerging talent to sustainable creative practitioners.

Across two days, Tropfest Roughcut will bring together emerging filmmakers, students, Tropfest finalists and shortlisted filmmakers for a curated program of keynotes, panel discussions, case studies and hands-on workshops. Sessions will explore craft, audience, platforms, financing, creative development and the evolving screen landscape,  delivering tangible learning outcomes and rare access to industry insight.

When and where?

Roughcut takes place on Friday 20 and Saturday 21 February 2026 at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Art) in Sydney, Australia. The Roughcut program  forms a key part of our renewed vision for 2026 and beyond. It will run in the lead-up to the Tropfest  Main Event on the 22nd February.

INSTRUCTIONS ON GETTING TO NIDA HERE

NIDA - National Institute of Dramatic Art
Main Foyer and Parade Theatre
215 Anzac Parade, Kensington

Tickets

One-day access $95*
Two-day access $165*

*Any filmmakers shortlisted for Tropfest 2026 are eligible to attend for free.

Get Tickets

Full program

Day One - Friday 20th February

    • John Polson - Tropfest Founder & Director

  • Finding your voice, writing with impact, and translating a concept into a short film.

    • John Polson (The Last Anniversary, The Mentalist, Elementary, The Walking Dead, Fringe)

    • Jason van Genderen (Mankind Is No Island, The Unspoken, Everybody’s Oma)

    • Genevieve Fricker (Moderator)

  • Join a panel of film makers, producers, exhibitors and distributers to explore the value of short film for your ideas, your relationships, your career.

    Introduction from Deidre Brennan - Screen Australia CEO.

    • 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)

    • Lisa Kitching - Moderator (SFF Head of Industry & Special Projects)

  • The Bus Stop Films Team speak on their experience at Tropfest, their journey so far, and the power of inclusivity in the industry.

    • Genevieve Clay-Smith (Writer, Director, Producer)

    • Dianna La Grassa (COO & Head of Production)

    • Gerard O'Dwyer (Actor)

    • Eleanor Winkler (Producer & Co-Founder)

    • Tracey Corbin-Matchett OAM - Moderator (CEO).

  • Leveraging Tropfest, festivals and YouTube to build a sustainable business to build a career.

    • Theo Saidden (SuperWog)

    • Daniel Stephenson (YouTube Content Partnerships Manager)

    • Sav Yeldham (Managing Director Botanist Media, Tropfest's Channel Management Partner)

    • Genevieve Fricker (Moderator)

Day TWO - SATURDAY 21ST February

    • John Polson - Tropfest Founder & Director

    • Daniel Krige - Screen NSW

  • Career defining lessons and observations in TV Directing. Focusing on transitioning from shorts to long-form.

    • Steph Green (Watchmen, Star Wars: Ahsoka, The Americans, The Good Daughter)

    • Gracie Otto (Heartbreak High, Ladies in Black, The Artful Dodger, Seriously Red)

    • John Polson (The Last Anniversary, The Mentalist, Elementary, The Walking Dead, Fringe)

    • Bruna Papandrea - Moderator (The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, Big Little Lies, The Last Anniversary)

  • Cinematography Masterclass featuring key teachings and discussions across image composition, technical advancements, and working with Directors and Actors to capture magical moments.

    • Carolyn Constantine ACS (BUMP, Ten Pound Poms, NCIS: Sydney, He Had It Coming)

    • John Seale AM, ACS, ASC, (The English Patient, Dead Poet's Society, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, Mad Max: Fury Road)

    • Genevieve Fricker (Moderator)

  • Join a panel of NIDA design alumni as they share their creative processes and approach to visual thinking as they build a world with a director and working with international crews.

    • Gypsy Taylor - 2026 nominee AACTA Award Best Costume Design in TV - 'The Newsreader'

    • Fiona Donovan - 2026 winner AACTA Award Best Production Design -'The Correspondent'

    • Nicholas Dare - 2026 nominee AACTA Award Best Production Design - 'Together’

    • Neil Sharma - Moderator (Heartbreak High, Strife, Critical Incident)

  • Streaming, AI, and global co-production. Leveraging emerging technology to empower independent voices, and assist in maximising your creative potential.

    • Pedro Correia (Customer Engineer - Google AI)

  • Join visionary Directors for an unfiltered look at the "breakout moment." Learn how to transition from Australian indie roots to global hits while keeping your creative soul intact.

    • Danny Philippou (Talk to Me, Bring Her Back)

    • David Michôd (Animal Kingdom, The Rover, The King, Christy)

    • Genevieve Fricker (Moderator)

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