Understory Film Festival - Cairns

Understory Film Festival - Cairns Cairns' very own locally produced short film festival. The screening event is recommended for ages 15+ .

The Understory Film Festival encourages local independent, student, emerging and professional film makers in the Cairns region to create short films to enter a competition for awards and prizes. The competition culminates the screening of selected films and award presentation at the annual Understory Film Festival held each year. The event will also feature pre-show entertainment provided by local

musicians and a licensed bar will be available. OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the film festival are to showcase local talent, build local industry capacity, award achievement and audience development in short film culture. Creative Life office:
Cairns Botanic Gardens Visitor Centre
64 Collins Ave Edge Hill QLD 4870

General Information
Welcome to the official page of Cairns Regional Council. Here you will find recent news, important alerts, photos and events from the Cairns and Mossman/Port Douglas region in Far North Queensland, Australia. If you are looking for an official source of information about Cairns Regional Council, or wish to make a formal enquiry, please visit our website www.cairns.qld.gov.au

This is a moderated open forum. We welcome your posts and approved staff members from Cairns Regional Council moderate content and respond to requests as quickly as possible during business hours only (i.e. between 8.30am and 5pm AEST Monday to Friday excluding public holidays and 24 Dec - 2 January). to ensure our Facebook community is friendly, respectful and inclusive for all members. We have a few general housekeeping rules that we ask you to adhere to when contributing to a Cairns Regional Council page. Failure to adhere to our page rules as well as Facebook's user terms and conditions will result in content being removed. Repeated violations will result in users being blocked from our fan page:

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Official correspondence (written, faxed or emailed correspondence sent directly to Council that includes your proper name and address) will be answered promptly and in accordance with Council’s Correspondence Administration Instruction No.2:02:72. Address 119-145 Spence Street, Cairns, QLD 4870 • Get Directions
Phone Customer Service - Spence Street Cairns (07) 4044 3044, Front Street Mossman (07) 4099 9444
PO Box 359 Cairns, QLD Australia 4870
Website http://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/
http://www.facebook.com/CairnsDCC
http://www.facebook.com/TanksArtsCentre
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Tropica...
http://yoursay.cairns.qld.gov.au/

Status Open until 5:00 pm. Hours Mon - Fri: 8:00 am - 5:00 pm


*COUNCIL STAFF PLEASE NOTE *
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Some opportunities floating around, re-shared from our friends at  Screen Queensland 🎬
22/01/2026

Some opportunities floating around, re-shared from our friends at Screen Queensland 🎬

The wait is over! Registrations are now open for the Creator Economy Summit on Saturday 7 February at HOTA as part of the 2026 AACTA Festival 🎉

Gain insights from the ABC, BBC Studios, Netflix, Screen Australia and YouTube, alongside Australian creators Never Too Small, Bounce Patrol and Sarah Renae Clark. This one-day event offers creators unprecedented access to traditional media decision-makers and explores how online platforms drive audience growth, evolving content and new revenue models.

The Creator Economy Summit is developed by Screen Queensland in partnership with Changer Studios and in conjunction with Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA).



Register now!
https://ow.ly/C3bq50XZVBr

07/12/2025
✨ What a night! ✨The Understory Film Festival screening and awards presentation last Saturday was an absolute blast — hu...
25/11/2025

✨ What a night! ✨
The Understory Film Festival screening and awards presentation last Saturday was an absolute blast — huge thanks to everyone for your hard work, creativity, and ongoing support. You make this festival what it is. 💛🎬

We’re thrilled to announce the 2025 Understory Film Festival Winners:

🌿 Highly Commended Certificates
• Enemies of Progress — Pablo Wild
• The Fall — Garth Edwards
• Jasper — Janne Rytkonen
• Lost in Time — Akira Schwarz

🏆 Trophy Winners
Best Experimental Film — Medusa, Raquel Lobera Balbas
Best Animation — Beyond the Waves, Oliver Marsden, Karen Jackson & The ARC Creative Team
Best Documentary — Two Is Better, Kerry Balzarolo
Best Music Video — Tell Me, Elleni Geena Adams
Best Non-Narrative — Age, Ella Carney
Best Narrative — IDOL, Sam Pates
Jonathan M. Shiff Productions Best Emerging Filmmaker — Scotoma, James Panevin
Best Film — Tammy Tooth, Rachel Terry & Tnee Dyer
People’s Choice Award — Rachel Terry & Tnee Dyer

🎉 Congratulations to all filmmakers! Your work lit up the screen and inspired everyone in the room.

🎟️ What’s next?
Understory hits the road early in the new year with a regional touring schedule — keep an eye on our socials for dates and locations. We’re also planning a screening at the Library (date and time TBC), so stay tuned!

Thanks again for making Understory 2025 such a memorable celebration of local filmmaking. 🌟

🔥🍕 TRIBAL SMOKEHOUSE & PIZZARIA IS ROLLIN’ IN HOT! 🍕🔥Get ready to feast, film lovers Tribal Smokehouse & Pizzaria is bri...
20/11/2025

🔥🍕 TRIBAL SMOKEHOUSE & PIZZARIA IS ROLLIN’ IN HOT! 🍕🔥

Get ready to feast, film lovers Tribal Smokehouse & Pizzaria is bringing their legendary food van to Understory Film Festival Screening & Awards Night at the Tanks this Saturday! 🎬🌿

📅 Sat 22 Nov | 6.30pm
📍 Tanks Arts Centre

What's on the menu?

Savoury Stars ⭐
🥩 Brisket, Pork & Lamb Subs
🍕 Pizza Cones (yes, pizza… in cone form… genius)
🌱 Vegan Sliders that even carnivores will side-eye with envy

Sweet Treat 🎬
🍓 Fruit Cone — fresh, juicy, and guaranteed to make you feel like you made one good life choice tonight

It’s films, food, and flavour - the perfect night out. See you at the smoke pit! 🌙✨

🎬 Join us for the full line-up of the Understory Film Festival 2025 at Tanks Arts Centre!Five fantastic events, each a c...
14/11/2025

🎬 Join us for the full line-up of the Understory Film Festival 2025 at Tanks Arts Centre!

Five fantastic events, each a chance to connect, create or celebrate! In chronological order:

🎥 Opening Night – A Celebration of Douglas Watkin | Thu 20 Nov, 7pm
Kick things off with an inspiring tribute to a Cairns-born filmmaker who champions First Nations identity and screen storytelling.

🎞️ Industry Exchange | Fri 21 Nov, 7pm
A free forum for filmmakers, creatives and screen professionals to network and dive into career pathways.

📽️Screen Industry Presentations | Sat 22 Nov, 2pm
Hear from regional screen professionals sharing insight into craft, production & emerging opportunities.

🧭”Post Code Doesn’t Matter” Workshop | Sat 22 Nov, 9am
A focused, practical session by Women in Film & Television Queensland: turn your story idea into a pitch-ready project, no matter where you’re based.

🏆Screening & Awards Presentation-Evening | Sat 22 Nov, 7pm
The festival climax: short film screenings, awards for Best Film, People’s Choice and Emerging Filmmaker. A major celebration of our local storytelling talent.

🎟️ You’re invited to attend one, some or all of these events — bring your curiosity, your creative spark or simply your love of film and community.
www.cairns.qld.gov.au/understory
See you there! 🌟

12/11/2025

🎬✨We’re super excited to share the Understory Film Festival 2025 SHORTLIST highlight reel! ✨🎬

Congrats to not only these Finalists but ALL who entered. The talent is simple incredible!

Catch a glimpse of the creativity coming out of North and Far North Queensland and then experience it all in person at the Understory Film Festival Screening & Awards Presentation!

📅 Saturday 22 November
🕡7pm
📍 Tanks Arts Centre

Now in its 12th year, Understory returns bigger than ever - celebrating local filmmakers, community, and creativity on the big screen.

🎟️ Tickets sell out fast, so grab yours now and be part of the story!

www.tanksartscentre.com/ticketlinkEvents/films/understory-film-festival-screening-and-awards-presentation-2025

🎬✨ The wait is over... the UNDERSTORY FILM FESTIVAL FINALISTS are here! ✨🎬Drum roll please... 🥁 The shortlist for the 20...
07/11/2025

🎬✨ The wait is over... the UNDERSTORY FILM FESTIVAL FINALISTS are here! ✨🎬
Drum roll please... 🥁 The shortlist for the 2025 Understory Film Festival Screening has just been announced!
Join us at the Tanks Arts Centre as the spotlight shines on our filmmakers during the Awards Presentation, where we’ll reveal the winners of:
🎖️ Best Film Award – selected by our expert judging panel
🎖️ People’s Choice Award – voted by YOU on the night
💰 Both winners take home a $2,500 cash prize!
🌟 Best Emerging Filmmaker, who’ll receive a $1,000 cash prize!
🎟️ Tickets sell out fast, so don’t miss your chance to be part of this night of film, community, and creativity.
👉 Grab yours now: www.ticketlink.com.au/ticketlinkEvents/films/understory-film-festival-screening-and-awards-presentation-2025

🎥 Understory Film Festival Industry Exchange 🌿Join us for a day of connection, insight and inspiration as Far North Quee...
04/11/2025

🎥 Understory Film Festival Industry Exchange 🌿

Join us for a day of connection, insight and inspiration as Far North Queensland filmmakers meet with leading screen industry professionals!

This symposium-style event explores career pathways across Australia’s screen sector, featuring key organisations sharing the latest initiatives and opportunities shaping the future of film. 🎬

✨ Highlights include:

Mark Melrose, Head of Studios and Physical Production at Screen Queensland Studios — presenting updates from the 2025 Film Intensive Script to Screen (FISS) Program and upcoming Cairns-based productions.

Annisa Belonogoff and Bobbi-Lea Dionysius, Co-Chairs of WIFT Queensland — introducing new programs supporting and empowering filmmakers in the North.

Don’t miss this chance to learn, network and grow your creative career! 💡

📅 Fri 21 Nov | 7pm
✨FREE! www.tanksartscentre.com/tanks-only-events/free-events/UFF-2025-industry-exchange

Tanks Arts Centre
Cairns Regional Council

Address

Cairns, QLD
4870

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+61740326656

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