You Be The Judge.
Every year, Tropfest brings thousands of stories to the screen. For over 30 years, our experienced and diverse pre-selection panel has selected the finalists, along with Founder / Director John Polson. But this year, we think YOU deserve a say in who makes the cut.
Introducing the Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Competition: a community-powered event where you decide which film takes the final spot on the big screen.
We are choosing our top 15 finalists, but we’re leaving the 16th spot open. Why? Because we trust your eye for a great story.
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How to Enter
The Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Competition is the ultimate second chance. We will release ten exceptional short-listed films on our official YouTube channel. These are stories that we loved, we wrestled over, but we just couldn’t decide which one should take the final spot. So we need your help!
The Stakes:
10 Short-listed Films
1 Wildcard Winner
The final spot in the official Tropfest 2026 line-up
How You Can Vote:
We’ve made it simple. You don't need a ballot paper; you just need to watch and react.
Head to the Official Tropfest YouTube Channel and check out the "Wildcard 2026" playlist.
The voting window is February 4 - February 14. During this time, show your support - and LOVE - for the films that move you.
Based on meaningful audience engagement and Tropfest’s validation process, one film will be crowned the Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Winner. This winner becomes a bonafide finalist, screening live at Tropfest 2026. It will wow the same massive crowd and compete for the exact same prizes as the other 15 finalists.
How We Count Your "Vote"
We want to reward genuine connection. This isn't just a popularity contest based on raw view counts; we are looking for quality engagement.
To ensure fairness, our judges analyse:
Likes relative to views.
Comment Quality & Sentiment (Real conversations matter!).
Watch Time (Did the audience stay for the whole story?).
YouTube is the stage. You are the jury. Tropfest validates the result.
Why Participate?
Tropfest has always been about opening doors. From Rebel Wilson to Sam Worthington to Nash Edgerton to Alethea Jones to Murray Bartlett and dozens more, we have helped launch the careers of global stars by giving bold stories a platform.
By participating in the Tropfest YouTube Wildcard selection, you aren't just watching a video: you’re helping discover the next generation of storytelling talent. You have the power to change a filmmaker's career.
Mark Your Calendars
Voting Opens: February 4, 2026
Voting Closes: February 14, 2026
The films are live. The 16th spot is waiting. Go find your favourite.
Participation in the Tropfest YouTube Wildcard Competition is subject to full Terms & Conditions.
Read the full Terms & Conditions here
Tropfest - stories that connect us.