NAIDOC Week Shorts 2026

A retrospective dive into the creative and cultural landscape of First Nations filmmaking.

As a celebration of the endurance of previous generations who have refused to compromise in the face of colonial adversity, this year’s NAIDOC Week theme pays tribute to the peoples and communities who have shaped the movement with “Fifty Years of Deadly”.

Bringing together a selection of essential voices from the past five decades, this short film program foregrounds First Nations filmmakers who have channelled their truth-telling experiences into powerful reflections on identity, resilience and resistance.

3 Dances Gulpilil
Dir. David Roberts, 1978, Australia, 7 mins.
Accompanied by a soundscape of Aboriginal instruments, legendary Yolngu actor David Gulpilil performs a trio of traditional dances mimicking the behaviour of native Australian animals.

No Way to Forget
Dir. Richard J. Frankland, 1996, Australia, 11 mins.
On a solitary journey across Victoria, Shane is haunted by the ever-present spirits he encounters while working as a field officer for the Royal Commission into Deaths in Custody.

Nice Coloured Girls
Dir. Tracey Moffatt, 1987, Australia, 16 mins.
Three Indigenous women cruise through Kings Cross in search of a “Captain” to exploit in this skilful reclamation of power, framed against historical race and gender politics.

Flat
Dir. Beck Cole, 2002, Australia, 13 mins.
Curious 15-year-old Marnie captures her day in Alice Springs through the intimate lens of her trusty Handycam while juggling shifting responsibilities and desires.

Shifting Shelter 2
Dir. Ivan Sen, 2000, Australia, 26 mins.
An intimate and affecting video diary, following four teenagers through a transformative five years as they transition from adolescent dreamers into hopeful young adults wrestling with their circumstances.