Short+Sweet Dubai 2023

Short+Sweet Theatre 2023 returns to Dubai for its 11th year, running over the weekends (Saturday and Sunday) from January 21 to March 12, 2023. 

The theater festival for anyone and everyone, no matter what format your story is in - monologues, ensemble pieces, mime, musicals in ANY language. The only rule your performance should not exceed 10 minutes!

Short+Sweet festival is split into two categories: Contenders (theatre/festival veterans) and the Challengers (newcomers or first-time festival participants).

There are 2 themed weekends -

Regional Week - Feb 4 and 5

Horror & Romance Week - Feb 11 and 12

Audience members and judges get to vote for their favourite play. The one that gets the most votes will move on to the next round (People’s Choice Semi-Final and Judges Choice Semi-Final on Feb 25 and 26; and March 4 and 5.)

The winning plays will then perform at the Red-Carpet Gala Finals from March 10 to 12. So go ahead whether you are an actor, writer, theater group or director - register and become a part of this beautiful community!

ITC & GROUP SUBMISSION FORM | Short+Sweet Illawarra Theatre Festival 2025

Thank you for your interest in submitting a play to the Short+Sweet Illawarra Theatre Festival!

SUBMISSIONS NOW OPEN - ITC & GROUP ENTRIES (BYO DIRECTOR & SCRIPT)
Complete your Registration Form here:  SUBMIT NOW
You will need information about your script, director and any information about actors you want to include in your application, and basic information about your company.

Short + Sweet Film Festival Sydney

No limits, other than your imagination. 

The Short+Sweet Film Festival Sydney is back! Showcasing the best local and international short films. What stories can you tell in 10 minutes? 

2025 Film Festival Program:

22 March  | Heat 1 
12 May     | Department of Education Films (5:30 PM)   BUY TICKETS NOW
12 May     | Heat 2 (8:00 PM)  BUY TICKETS NOW
13 May     | Youth & Student Films (6:30 PM)  BUY TICKETS NOW
13 May     | Heat 3 (8:30 PM)  BUY TICKETS NOW
14 May     | FILM FESTIVAL GALA FINAL (7:00 PM)  TICKETS OPENING SOON

Films will be screened at TURNER HALL - Located at TAFE Ultimo - 18 Mary Street

Each screening showcases a vibrant mix of stories from local and international filmmakers. Our Open Heats feature standout films from Sydney, across Australia, and beyond—while our dedicated Youth & Student sessions spotlight the next generation of emerging talent.

Short+Sweet Founder and Director Mark Cleary has committed to delivering “a world class festival with an A-List Hollywood finale”

Enquiries to Festival Director Luke Berman at luke.berman@shortandsweet.org

Short+Sweet Dubai 2025

Short+Sweet Theatre Festival 2025 Kicks Off in Dubai!

The world's largest short-form theatre festival is back! Short+Sweet Theatre 2025 returns to Dubai for its 13th year, running from April 12 to June 1, 2025, at The Junction, Alserkal Avenue.

A theatre festival for anyone and everyone, Short+Sweet is open to all storytelling formats—monologues, ensemble pieces, mime, musicals—performed in ANY language. The only rule? No performance can exceed 10 minutes!

This year’s highlights include:

  • Exciting Themed Weekends – Featuring special showcase weekends with unique themes that push creative boundaries.
  • Audience & Judges’ Choice Voting – Every performance competes for a place in the semi-finals based on audience and judges' votes.
  • Red-Carpet Gala Finals – The top plays will perform at the grand finale, where winners will be crowned!

Whether you're an actor, writer, theatre group, or director, this is your chance to shine and be part of Dubai’s vibrant theatre community. Registrations are now CLOSED - watch this space for more announcements!

Stay tuned for more details, and get ready for an unforgettable season of creativity and talent! 

Short + Sweet Yorkshire Film Festival

Short+Sweet Yorkshire Film Festival Returns for 2025! 

Get ready, filmmakers—Short+Sweet Yorkshire is back, shining a spotlight on the region's vibrant filmmaking talent! The 2025 festival promises to celebrate the best in bite-sized cinema, offering local creators the chance to showcase their work alongside inspiring international submissions.

This year's festival culminates in a day of cinematic celebration on Sunday, 21st September 2025, at the Bilton Workers Club, Harrogate. Category winners will be invited to an exclusive day of screenings, where audiences can immerse themselves in 10-minute masterpieces, followed by the highly anticipated Festival Awards and Winners Screening.

Whether you're a filmmaker, film lover, or just curious about the power of short films, Short+Sweet Yorkshire is your destination for stories that pack a punch in just 10 minutes. Celebrating creativity, talent, and storytelling on a grand (yet compact!) scale.

Mark your calendars—it’s going to be an unforgettable festival!

OFFICIAL SELECTION
Once you submit your film, our screeners team will watch and review your project. The highest scored films will become finalists and join the Official Selection list by category.
The entire Official Selection films will receive the festival laurel.

These selected films will be further reviewed by our panel of judges and the WINNER from each CATEGORY will be invited to attend the live screening final on the 21st September, 2025

CATEGORY AWARDS FOR 2025 ARE:

Best Short Screenplay
Best Comedy Short
Best Drama Short
Best Thriller/Horror Short
Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy Short
Best Documentary Short Film
Best Mobile Short Film
Best First Time Filmmaker
Best Director
Best Made in Yorkshire

Submissions Now Open:
https://filmfreeway.com/ShortandSweetYorkshire

 

 

Short+Sweet Illawarra Theatre 2025

 

Short+Sweet Illawarra Theatre Festival 2025

Experience the magic of ten-minute theatre at the Short+Sweet Illawarra Theatre Festival 2025! This year's festival will take center stage across two iconic venues: our new home, the stunning Golden Age Theatre, and our cherished regular home, The Phoenix Theatre.

For two exciting weeks, immerse yourself in a diverse showcase of locally produced ten-minute plays, featuring scripts from Illawarra’s best local talent, acclaimed Australian playwrights, and visionary international writers.

Whether you're a theatre enthusiast, a supporter of local arts, or simply looking for a night of unique and unforgettable performances, Short+Sweet Illawarra promises to entertain, inspire, and celebrate the power of storytelling—one thrilling bite-sized piece at a time!

Don’t miss the region’s most dynamic theatre event of the year. Be sure to join us on stage or in the audience as we celebrate creativity, connection, and community through the art of short-form theatre!

ARTIST REGISTRATIONS:

DIRECTOR REGISTRATIONS | GROUP/ITC SUBMISSIONS |  ACTOR AUDITION REGISTRATIONS (opening soon)

The Submit A Script for international scripts deadline has passed for Short+Sweet Illawarra. If you have submitted your scripts prior to March 1 2025, and you are an Illawarra-based writer, we will receive your script and will consider it for our shortlist (the list of scripts that our directors choose to direct).
If you are a writer from the Illawarra, Sydney, Canberra or nearby region, and would like to have your script considered, please email our Festival Director Luke Berman directly at luke.berman@shortandsweet.org
 

2025 THEATRE FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:

12-14 SEP     THEATRE WEEK 1 - at PHOENIX THEATRE CONISTON
26-28 SEP      THEATRE WEEK 2 - at THE GOLDEN AGE THEATRE CONISTON
 

2025 FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:

V SERIES - The best short films of Short+Sweet Illawarra 2019-2024

10 APR            ILLAWARRA CLASSICS
23 MAY            LATE NIGHT THRILLERS
25 MAY            ANIMATED FILMS
14 JUN            PRIDE & WELLBEING
15 JUN            MUSIC VIDEOS
13 JUL            FILIPINO FILMS
20 JUL            V SERIES GALA FINALS - AWARD WINNING FILMS
 

2025 FILM FESTIVAL

14 SEP            WILDCARDS
28 SEP            FINALISTS

 

2025 MISC PROGRAMMES

19 SEP            CABARET+COMEDY SHOWCASE
21 SEP            DANCE SOLOS & DUOS

Short+Sweet Sydney Theatre Festival 2025

SHORT+SWEET
THE BIGGEST LITTLE FESTIVAL IN THE WORLD

2025 Season Key Dates:

2025 HEATS: 

HEAT 1 (Shows; February 13 - February 16 @ 7pm)
Open Heat for all selected scripts and ITC's
BUY TICKETS HERE

HEAT 2 (Shows; April 20 - April 23 @ 7pm)
Pride themed week - For selected scripts and ITC's that share stories relevant to the weeks theme, or have creatives and casts that connect to and champion the theme. 
BUY TICKETS HERE

(Week Break)

HEAT 3 (Shows; March 6 - March 9 @ 7pm)
Youth themed week - For selected scripts and ITC's that share stories relevant to the weeks theme, or have creatives and casts that connect to and champion the theme. 
BUY TICKETS HERE

HEAT 4 (Shows; March 13 - March 16 @ 7pm)
Open Heat for all selected scripts and ITC's
BUY TICKETS HERE 

HEAT 5 (Shows; March 20 - March 23 @ 7pm)
Open Heat for all selected scripts and ITC's
BUY TICKETS HERE

HEAT 6 (Shows; March 27 - March 30 @ 7pm)
Open Heat for all selected scripts and ITC's
BUY TICKETS HERE

SHAKESPEARE WEEK [HEAT 7] (Shows; April 3 - April 6 @ 7pm)
This week will be curated by Jo Bloom (Come You Spirits).  ITC's and Script submissions are still open for this program - Apply here. 
BUY TICKETS HERE

(Please note that we are off for the Easter Weekend)

HEAT 8 (Shows; April 24 - April 27 @ 7pm )
ACT 1: S+S Deadly - Theatre, Dance and Cabaret. Short works created by indigenous artists. Limited spaces still available.
Apply here.
ACT 2: Open Heat for all selected scripts and ITC's
BUY TICKETS HERE
 

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SEMI-FINALS (Shows; May 1 - May 4 @ 7pm )
Semi-Finals for all People Choice, Judges Choice and Crew Cut winners from Weeks 1-7.

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CABARET WEEK (Shows; May 8 - May 11 @ 7pm )
This week will be judged and run independently bringing back the creatively diverse "cabaret" week - no matter the skill, the talent or the technique - we invite all to apply to take part in the Cabaret week. Comedians, Singers, Dancers, Bands and more - ITC's and Performer. Limited submissions are still being accepted - Link HERE to apply. 

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GALA FINALS (Shows; May16 - May18 @ 7pm )
Gala Finals features the best People's Choice, Judges Choice and Wild Card winners from all Semi - Finals.
Prizes and Award ceremony will follow the show on May 18.
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A MORE CREATIVE WORLD, TEN-MINUTES AT A TIME

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Festival enquiries, please contact our Festival Director Ali Bendall at ali.bendall@shortandsweet.org
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Pages

Now On!

Short+Sweet Sydney Theatre Festival 2025
13 Feb 2025 to 18 May 2025
Short + Sweet Film Festival Sydney
22 Mar 2025 to 14 May 2025
Short+Sweet Theatre Cape Town Call for Application
1 Apr 2025 to 19 Apr 2025

Coming Soon

Short+Sweet Theatre Cape Town Call for Application
1 Apr 2025 to 19 Apr 2025
Short+Sweet Dubai 2025
12 Apr 2025 to 1 Jun 2025