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Brisbane's inner-city voice since 2014
Brisbane's inner-city voice since 2014
Twenty-two high school filmmakers from across Queensland have been shortlisted for the inaugural Essential Screen Skills Awards, taking place at Event Cinemas Brisbane City on 13 and 14 November 2026.
BRISBANE — Twenty-two high school filmmakers from across Queensland have been shortlisted for the inaugural Essential Screen Skills (ESS) Awards, taking place in Brisbane on 13–14 November 2026.
Selected from more than 100 entries, the nominees represent 14 secondary schools spanning Cairns, Mackay, Toowoomba, Logan, the Gold Coast, and Brisbane. The two-day program pairs practical industry mentoring with public big-screen exhibitions and a red-carpet presentation at Event Cinemas Brisbane City.
"We are excited to launch the Essential Screen Skills Awards, championing the next generation of talented filmmakers from across Queensland," said Laura Clelland, Director of Essential Screen Skills. "Through our Screen and Media Gateway to Industry Schools project we launched our Student of the Year and School of the Year Awards. The ESS Awards bring together significant Screen Industry support reflected by the calibre of our sponsors through to our highly accomplished judges."
The event opens on Friday, 13 November, with an Industry Development Day featuring workshops, mentoring, and networking sessions designed to connect emerging student creatives directly with working screen professionals.
Professor Damian Candusso, Head of the QUT School of Creative Arts, noted the importance of industry-connected learning: "QUT is proud to support initiatives that empower the next generation of creative thinkers, storytellers, and innovators. Essential Screen Skills and the inaugural Essential Screen Skills Awards align strongly with QUT's commitment to real-world learning and our shared vision of fostering creativity, technology, and entrepreneurship to shape the future of Queensland's creative industries."
Ahead of the weekend, Essential Screen Skills confirmed the recipients of its two institutional honours. Charlotte Frelicot of Bremer State High School in Ipswich was named Screen and Media Gateway Student of the Year, with Dr Sue Cake saying the applicants showed "deep passion for storytelling and a commitment to creating work that speaks to the human experience." Sunshine Coast institution Good Shepherd Lutheran College secured Screen and Media Gateway School of the Year, with project manager Moneth Montemayor saying the judges were impressed by how it embedded media practice into both its academic curriculum and extracurricular programs.
Brisbane State High School led the category nominations, earning places across seven of the eight competitive fields. Student filmmaker Magenta Stafford secured nine individual and production nominations across three projects (Misanthropy, Denis from Delaware, and GREED), spanning direction, editing, cinematography, sound, and Best Film. Regional schools also established a strong presence, led by Mackay North State High School's Ezriel Bisual, who earned three nominations for the animated short Unfocused Hocus Pocus.
Still from Unfocused Hocus Pocus, courtesy of Ezriel Bisual.
Nominated works are being evaluated by an industry judging panel that includes Australian Directors Guild Queensland Chair Mairi Cameron, Screen Queensland’s Jonathan Proby, Ludo Studio manager Craig Cauchi and animator Kate Derrick, Oscar-nominated animator Lachlan Pendragon, and Australian Screen Sound Guild Queensland Chair Tfer Newsome.
Still from Streamer, courtesy of Kinsley Ward (St Benedict's College). Ward is nominated for Best Performance.
Still from Saboteur, courtesy of Honora Rowen-Clarke (Varsity College). The film is nominated for Best Editing.
"There’s nothing quite like seeing your work on the big screen, and we’re thrilled to give Queensland’s young filmmakers that moment at Event Cinemas Brisbane City," said Daniel McCabe, General Manager of Cinema Operations Australia. "Supporting the next generation of screen talent is something we care deeply about, and we can’t wait to celebrate their creativity, skill and storytelling with their families, educators and the wider industry."
The Essential Screen Skills Awards Screening and Ceremony
Still from Misanthropy, courtesy of Magenta Stafford (Brisbane State High School)
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