The Australia Youth Film Festival (AUYFF) partnered with RMIT to host its 2026 Awards Ceremony and industry day, showcasing and celebrating the best of Australia’s up-and-coming talent.
RMIT recently welcomed 80 AUYFF nominees to campus for a day of workshops, networking opportunities with academics and industry leaders, followed by the presentation of their 2026 Awards.
AUYFF nominees at The Capitol. Credit: Enlighten Studio Supported by the King’s Trust Australia and industry leading organisations, such as the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and Sony, AUYFF provides young creatives aged 15-24 the opportunity to access valuable internships, an industry day held by RMIT’s Adobe Creative Campus, and a range of panel discussions and workshops for festival award nominees.
Professor Sean Redmond, RMIT Associate Dean Media, Writing and Publishing, who led RMIT’s involvement in the festival, said, “RMIT’s longstanding contribution to the screen industry through its commitment to film education and creative research means that partnering with the Australia Youth Film Festival is a natural fit.”
“Together we believe and invest in young people’s creative imaginations so that they become the enchanted screen writers, directors, editors, and producers of tomorrow,” he continued.
Professor Sean Redmond. Credit: Enlighten Studio Nominees from across Australia travelled to Melbourne to attend an industry day on campus, kicking off with a panel discussion led by Professor Redmond called ‘Lights, Camera, Tomorrow: the future of film’.
Associate Professor in Media and Communication Jessica Balanzategui, digital media expert and cinema lecturer Hannah Brasier, plus alumni and Adobe Senior Strategic Development Manager Jon Barrie explored the possibilities of screen futures.
Nominees were then shown how to create cutting-edge electronic press kits by Clare Dyson, Director of RMIT’s Adobe’s Creative Campus, and Media lecturer, Dr Ruth Richards, in the state-of-the-art media portal and black box studios, followed by a series of presentations from Alwyn Hunt (Adobe), Heath McKinley (Sony Australia & New Zealand) and acclaimed cinematographer, Katie Milwright.
Industry day panel. (L-R) Professor Sean Redmond, Jon Barrie, Associate Professor Jessica Balanzategui, and Hannah Brasier. Credit: Enlighten Studio The festival concluded with an ‘Oscars style’ awards ceremony at The Capitol, with RMIT sponsoring the ‘Best Animation’ category.
Festival Director Ryan Chow was proud to see the quality and the number of entries for 2026, with over 1200 creatives applying for the festival.
“This year’s winners show just how much young people across Australia have to say – not only about film, but about the communities, environments, identities and futures they care about,” he said.
RMIT student Dai En Ngeiw won ‘Best Animation’, earning a 7-night artistic residency at RMIT’s McCraith House, as well as a 12-month free subscription to Adobe’s suite of creative products.
“My film is meant to be a personal tribute to the passions that have defined my life and also to the people who have made it what it is,” Ngeiw said.
Best Animation award winner, RMIT student , Dai En Ngeiw. Credit: Enlighten Studio RMIT University students Ying Ning Chiew and Junia Tran also had the opportunity to intern with the festival, assisting in activating and promoting the festival’s communications and public platforms, and coordination of RMIT’s industry day and the Awards Ceremony.
The partnership with AUYFF is one the RMIT College of Design and Social Context hopes to continue in 2027.
