Australia’s Leading Celebration of Science Fiction and Fantasy Cinema

Melbourne: February 23-25, 2024 | Brisbane TBC | Sydney TBC

2024 MELBOURNE FESTIVAL: 23-25 February at Cinema Nova, Carlton

2024 SYDNEY FESTIVAL: Dates to be confirmed

  • EVENT Cinemas George Street

2024 BRISBANE FESTIVAL: Dates to be confirmed

  • Angelika Film Centre, Logan

AWARDS & PRIZES

The Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival committee members will preside over the following honours:

THE RON COBB BEST FEATURE FILM: The feature (over 40 mins) that best exemplifies the vision, values and ambitions of the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival. Named in honour of the late Ron Cobb, an adopted son of Sydney and iconic conceptual artist on such films as Dark Star, Alien, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Conan the Barbarian and The Abyss.

THE ADAM LEE MEMORIAL AWARD: Awarded to a figure in the science fiction/fantasy community who has exhibited a dedication to their life’s work and served the genre and its fanbase with the enthusiasm and passion.

BEST SHORT FILM: The short (under 40 mins) that best exemplifies the vision, values and ambitions of the Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival.

BEST ACTOR (Feature Film) and BEST ACTOR (Short Film)

BEST ACTRESS (Feature Film) and BEST ACTRESS (Short Film)

BEST DIRECTOR (Feature Film) and BEST DIRECTOR (Short Film)

ION Sci-Fi AUDIENCE AWARD: The most popular feature film as voted upon by Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival audiences.

PAST WINNERS

2020
Ron Cobb Best Feature Film: SCALES (Dir: Shahad Ameen; U.A.E); Best Lead Actress (Feature Film): DENISE TANTUCCI in Darkness (Dir: Emanuela Rossi; Italy); Best Lead Actor (Feature Film): JAVIER BOTET in The Queen of the Lizards (Dirs: Juan González, Nando Martínez; Spain); Best Director (Feature): BAPTISTE ROUVERE for Anonymous Animals (France); Best Short Film: THE FABRICATED (Dir: Ali Katmiri; Iran); Best Lead Actress (Short Film): SONYA ESMAEELI in The Fabricated (Dir: Ali Katmiri; Iran); Best Lead Actor (Short Film): VERNON WELLS in Starspawn Overture (Dir: Travis Bain; Australia); Best Director (Short Film): YUICHI KONDO for Ryoko’s Qubit Summer (Japan); Audience Award Winner: MONSTERS OF MAN (Dir: Mark Toia; Australia)

2021
Ron Cobb Best Feature Film: VERA DE VERDAD (Dir: Beniamino Cantena, Italy); Best Lead Actress (Feature Film): HAYDEE CARCERES for Moon Heart (Dir: Aldo Salvini; Chile); Best Lead Actor (Feature Film): BEN TEDESCO in No Tomorrow (Dir: Ben Tedesco; USA); Best Director (Feature): CARSON YOUNG for The Blazing World (U.S.A.); Best Short Film: DAILY DRIVER (Dir: Jonathan Adams; Australia); Best Lead Actress (Short Film): JESSICA TANNER in Today (Dir: Andrew Jaksch; Australia); Best Lead Actor (Short Film): DENIS HUBLEUR in Causa Sui (Dir: Quentin Richard; France); Best Director (Short Film): RYAN ANDREWS for Hiraeth (U.K.); Audience Award Winner: Feature Film - RISEN (Producer: Eddie Arya), Short Film - ELLIPSIS (Producer: Jorge Corpi); Adam Lee Memorial Honouree: JONATHAN STRAHAN (Official Website)

2022

Ron Cobb Best Feature Film: LANDLOCKED (Dir: Paul Owens; USA); Best Lead Actress (Feature Film): VIVA LEE in Polaris (Dir: Kirsten Carthew; Canada)
Special Jury Prize for Innovation and Originality: WESENS (Dir: Derick Mueller; South Africa); Special Jury Prize for Technical Prowess and Intellectual Rigour:
MONGREL (Producer: Jennifer van Gessell); Best Lead Actor (Feature Film): ANDREW RIDDLE for Sight Extended (Dir ; USA); Best Director (Feature): IULI GERBASE for The Pink Cloud (France); Best Short Film International: Viewers: 1 (Japan; Producers: Daigo Hariya, Yosuke Kobayashi); Best Short Film Australian: ERASED (Producers: Gabriela Loza, Ruth Sligo, Harriett McKern); Best Lead Actress (Short Film): KLAUDIA GARCIA-GUERRERO for GOLEM (Spain); Best Lead Actor (Short Film): GRAHAM DICKSON for The Operator (UK); Best Director (Short Film): ARATI KADAV for The Astronaut & The Parrot (India); Best Student Short Film: THE RISE (Dir: Alesja Suzdaltseva; Estonia); Best Animated Film: THE SPRAYER (Dir: Farnoosh Abedi; Iran); Audience Award Winner: POLARIS (Dir: Kirsten Carthew; Canada); Career Achievement Award: AGEE (Polar Bear Actor – Polaris)