And our finalists in alphabetical order are:

Apple Slices by Daniel Allen

After a bag of cash falls from the sky, a desperate young man is thrust into a relentless chase across the city, forcing him to confront how thin the line between survival and greed truly is.

Genesis 3:19 by Livia Hendricks

After a bag of cash falls from the sky, a desperate young man is thrust into a relentless chase across the city, forcing him to confront how thin the line between survival and greed truly is.

Happy Little Accidents by SJ van Breda

Happy Little Accidents is a short experimental documentary that delves into the inspiration and process of Emily Rice, an artist based in Cape Town, South Africa.

Emily graduated from the University of Cape Town’s Michaelis School of Fine Art in 2024 and has quickly established herself as one of South Africa’s up-and-coming artistic talents. Emily’s mixed media work focuses on the interplay of strength and fragility, using plaster of Paris and distressed textiles to create works that defy gravity with their seemingly chaotic fracture patterns.

Happy Little Accidents experiments with Emily’s use of plaster of Paris and distressed textiles in her art, and explores the inspiration behind her work: the extensive memory loss she experiences from past childhood trauma. The film traverses Emily’s past, present and future and focuses on the central tenet of her work: strength through fragility.

Lift by Jessica Joseph-McDermott

When five strangers are recruited into a referral-only weightlifting class in a secluded warehouse, they think they are there to train. In reality, they have been chosen.

Each woman carries a secret. One woman has brought them together. She carries the biggest secret of all.

Every woman should lift.

No. 08 by Tez Frost

An exploration of desire and status, where what we covet is elevated to an icon, only to be consumed and ultimately destroyed.

No Bears Allowed by Stevie Gannon & Jimmy Gannon

A young girl plagued by nightmares tries to keep the bad dreams away with a homemade sign, but when her father helps protect her with a dreamcatcher, she discovers that even the scariest dreams can’t stop a loving father from making her feel safe.

Prostate Panic by Butterfly Panther

Mr P is racing to a funeral, but his prostate has other plans.

Every red light feels personal, and dignity is rapidly becoming a luxury he can no longer afford.

Prostate Panic is a warm, cheeky comedy about ageing, urgency, terrible timing and the lengths one man will go to when nature simply refuses to wait.

Storyboard: The Musical by Jordan Gibbs

After hearing about a local film competition, Everly Easton, fresh out of high school, takes a leap of faith and makes her first animated short film with the help of her friends.

Team Player by Jimmy Eaton

A routine corporate interview unravels into surreal chaos when a promising pitch triggers an inexplicable chain reaction.

The Hole by Seam Luther-Hall & Josh Stewart

Somewhere deep underground, in a tiny room at the end of the world, two men sit together for breakfast, until they are interrupted by an unexpected guest.

The Hole is a short film written, directed and produced from the ground on up by El Ruin & The Remnants and stars Albert Mwangi (Primitive War) and Jack Ellis (Mr Inbetween). The film is a homage to classic genre bending and era defining shows like The Twilight Zone inspiring an exploration of isolation, paranoia, and the tension between the world of the analogue and digital at the brink of apocalypse.

Weight of Mercy by Nathan Colquhoun & Tatjana Marjanovic

A grieving mother consumed by revenge crosses paths with a mysterious preacher who challenges her to confront the true weight of mercy.

What Life Can Be by Dane Noonan

A heartfelt short documentary that shares the lived experience of Dane Noonan. After being told as a child that he may never live independently or reach his teenage years. Dane reflects on the unexpected life he has built. Through humour, honesty and heart, What Life Can Be challenges assumptions about disability and celebrates resilience, connection and the possibilities that unfold when we embrace life’s unpredictability.

You Will Not Be Left Behind by Brandon Fairley & Kristina Cetinski

A set of bereaved siblings must confront their disabled brother about his living situation.