The Memory Bank
Directed by Joe Kelly
A man finds himself in an unfamiliar place to discover himself.
● REC · Showfest 2026Tape 01–17
Seventeen new short films on the big screen. Three categories. You vote for the Audience Choice.
- When
- Sunday 25 October 2026, 12pm to 3pm. Foyer opens 11.30am: come early to meet the filmmakers
- Where
- Event Cinemas Kawana, 119 Point Cartwright Dr, Buddina QLD 4575
- Films
- 17 shorts across Next Gen, Regional Voices and Oceania Spotlight
Official Selection 2026
The films
Seventeen short films from high school students, Sunshine Coast filmmakers and independent creators across Oceania, listed in screening order.
The Ghost Mesa
The Ghost Mesa follows Haden Dark as he struggles to accept that the walls of his own reality are warping within his hands. He believes he's being held by something or someone, but what's really behind it all?
About the filmmaker
Oisin Bourke is a 17-year-old award-winning director who has built up industry experience through hard work and dedication. His recent awards come from both the Sunshine Coast Screen Collective and the Sunny Coast Showdown.
Lost
Two girls find comfort, freedom and happiness in each other’s company. But when one is suddenly gone, the places they shared turn quiet and unfamiliar, revealing how much can change when someone is no longer there.
About the filmmaker
Myla Orchard’s work finds peace in the quiet amid chaos, using dream-like cinematography and minimal storytelling to draw out the deeper meaning in ordinary moments.
The House with No Windows
In a strange, barren complex, six children live by strict rules, with only each other and their caretaker, Miss, for company. When Miss takes them on an odd excursion, Rabbit, a little mute bunny devoted to best friend Cat, gets a first taste of life outside The Complex.
About the filmmaker
Ayla Wagner is a high school student who makes animated shorts, comics, photography and music, designing characters, composing and writing, with several projects always in the works and the goal of one day opening an animation studio.
Mt. Kasper
Directed by Miffy Byrne
Synopsis coming soon.
Ouroboros
On the anniversary of a decades-old train tragedy in outback Queensland, an isolated man experiences fractures in time and memory, drawn into eerie encounters that force him to confront his buried grief.
About the filmmaker
Aaron Lenden is a writer, director and producer drawn to stories between memory and emotion. A former property developer, he studied at USC and AFTRS and undertook a director’s attachment on the BBC/ABC series Return to Paradise.
After Sunset
Synopsis coming soon.
Solar Retaliation
In an alternate 1990s where the Cold War rages on, Soviet cosmonaut Polina and her crew discover their space mission is far more serious than they ever anticipated.
About the filmmaker
Thomas Matthews is a 22-year-old filmmaker from the Sunshine Coast who studied film production at Griffith University, where he directed his debut short after working as an editor and gaffer.
A Little Luck
A hapless boy named Bailey finds a lucky coin that teaches him the truth about fortune.
About the filmmaker
Dorian Locke fell in love with storytelling after downloading a Lego stop-motion app at eight, and made a first live-action film at 15. Six short films later, Dorian is now writing a first novel.
Marbles
When her father is diagnosed with dementia, 25-year-old lawyer Sophie becomes his full-time carer while juggling a demanding job and a failing health system. Raw and intimate, Marbles explores memory, love and grief when the roles are reversed.
About the filmmaker
Australian-Romanian filmmaker and actor Simona Varga makes her directorial debut with Marbles, co-directed with Owen Smith of Short Stack Productions.
Barbershop
The story of the “Buzz Cut”, “The Vacuum” and the “Hairy Little Man”.
About the filmmaker
Armando Maccarone is a filmmaker, animator and visual artist from the Sunshine Coast. Barbershop uses photo-scanned textures and 3D camera techniques to turn a trip to the barber into a bizarre, uncanny journey.
Off Grid Mum
City-born Jane made a life-changing move to an off-grid rainforest community. In this intimate documentary, she shares the joys and challenges of raising a family while harvesting water, storing solar power and preparing for natural disasters.
About the filmmaker
Argentinian-born Mauri Badra is a film producer specialising in outdoor and underwater environments. Co-founder of not-for-profit YSDM Inc., he creates the podcast series Environment Art Stories and the rainforest screen experience Films in the Forest.
TIX
After a breakup, a man starts selling the spare tickets he bought for two. Each sale leads him into an unplanned date with a stranger.
About the filmmaker
Gregorio Palmes Castellano is a director from Argentina, now based in Eumundi. With a background in theatre and advertising, he has kept writing and directing shorts, documentaries and digital work since moving to Australia in 2019.
Corals On Your Doorstep
Dive into the coral wonderland of Hervey Bay’s 6,500-year-old reefs and follow Jasper, a passionate young local whose connection to the reef deepens his bond with his late father.
About the filmmaker
Breannah Mitchell has spent nine years in film, running BM Film Productions across shorts and documentaries, with a growing passion for underwater filmmaking.
Bear in Mind
Beau has always struggled to socialise at work and loves his cosy personal space, but when an act of kindness brings someone close, will he make the brave decision to open up?
About the filmmaker
Peta Kishawi is a multidisciplinary artist, director, 2D animator and concept designer whose work is fuelled by community and everyday magic: whimsy, play and sincerity.
Extraordinary Rob
Rob can do the impossible, but only when no one is watching. After a lifetime of invisibility, one anonymous act forces him to decide whether being unseen is a curse or a choice.
About the filmmaker
Adam Szudrich is a writer and director whose work has screened at more than 200 international festivals, earning 85 awards.
What Shall We Do with a Drunken Sailor?
Captain Kennard and his crew are sailing the high seas when the authorities arrive. Kennard quickly discovers that even at sea, drinking comes with consequences.
About the filmmaker
Nathan Robinson is a Melbourne 3D animator and director whose shorts have won Best Animation at festivals including Melbourne CINEVERSE and Warburton, and screened at the Melbourne Comedy Festival.
The prizes
Go for the Yewwy
Each category awards a Winner, a Runner Up and an Audience Choice. Every Official Selection also takes home a Mini Yewwy and a 12-month Screen Collective membership.
Next Gen
- Winner · GoldSony ZV-E10 II kit with 16–50mm lens, ECM-G1 mic and shooting grip from Camera House (valued at $2,187)
- Runner Up · Silver1-day hire of the Screen Collective Lighting Van with a technician (valued at over $1,500)
- Audience Choice · Rose Gold$500 cash from Bendigo Community Bank
Regional Voices
- Winner · GoldSony FX2 Cinema Line camera with FE 24–105mm f/4 G lens from Camera House (valued at $6,898)
- Runner Up · SilverPost Finish Package: editorial, sound, colour and limited VFX from Zen Unlimited and Dan Brown Audio Engineer (valued at approx. $7,500)
- Audience Choice · Rose Gold$500 cash from Bendigo Community Bank
Oceania Spotlight
- Winner · Gold$600 cash
- Runner Up · Silver$400 cash
- Audience Choice · Rose Gold$250 cash
"Yewww!" is a very Australian shout of pure excitement. The Yewwy was born at the Sunny Coast Showdown, the production incubator and screenwriting competition, and was created by Dan Munday, our Head Trophy Maker.
The Audience Choice is decided on the day. When voting opens, scan the QR code on the cinema screen to vote for your favourite film in each category. Winners are announced live on stage.
Rewind
Last year's vibes
Red carpet shakas, a packed cinema and a lot of happy filmmakers. Here's a look back at Showdown Shorts last year.
The panel
Meet the judges
Allycia StaplesPerformer & screen creative, Bus Stop Films
Beverley MarcussonWriter & actor
Catherine MackLogie-nominated actor, producer & director
Chris SunWriter, director, producer & special FX artist, Slaughter FX
Graeme HattrickDirector & producer, BBC & ABC
Janneke WilliamsonDirector, editor & producer
Lilliana BowreyLogie-nominated actor, Netflix’s Surviving Summer
Raf & Mel MiragaiaThe creative duo behind Noosa Personal Chef
Rod HoppingFounder & CEO, Heritage Films
Sam CowardBreakfast co-host, HOT91.1 (Sam & Ash) · Actor
Samantha MartinAACTA-nominated TV producer
Selena CannonSecretary, Noosa Film Society
Shonee SamiaActor, producer & stunt performer; Founder, Mana Film Productions
Wes GreeneDP & documentary director, Chasing the Gold
Credits roll
Thank you to our partners
Presenting partner
Major & event partners
Prize partners
Supporters