Zak Hilditch, Shaun Heredia, Chloe Brink, Kate Separovich and The Jinn star, Sascha Turich at the 2025 WA Made Film Festival. Photo by Ryan Ammon.

The WA Made Film Festival has officially announced the return of its Get Smart! Presented by Buy West Eat Best smartphone filmmaking competition, along with the official theme for 2026.

Get Smart! Presented by Buy West Eat Best invites established filmmakers, independent filmmakers, students, and the general public to submit a mini-masterpiece to be considered for a special event screening during the next WA Made Film Festival which will run February 20 – March 1, 2026.

The 2026 theme is “Wave”, giving filmmakers the option to explore a range of genres. The theme “Wave” can be as subtle as the filmmaker wants it to be, with an ocean wave, a sound wave, or a hand wave some samples to help filmmakers get started.

“Get Smart! Presented by Buy West Eat Best continues to grow bigger and better,” says Festival Director Matthew Eeles.

“Submissions continue to grow every year, which is testament to the WA filmmaking community who are constantly looking for new ways to express themselves creatively through film. Over the years we’ve received a selection of truly world class productions which are nothing short of impressive. We can’t wait to see what everyone cooks up for the 2026 event.”

The Get Smart! Presented by Buy West Eat Best event screening will be held at Palace Cinemas Raine Square, and will include a before and after party, drinks and food, networking opportunities and an awards ceremony which will include a major cash prize of $1000 for Best Film decided by a jury of industry professionals.

Filmmakers from all over the state, including those in rural and regional areas, are encouraged to submit.

At the 2025 festival which was held earlier this year, Shaun Heredia’s atmospheric short film The Jinn won the Best Film prize, awarded by the festival’s Smart Jury made up of Zak Hilditch (These Final Hours, writer and director), Kate Separovich (Proclivatas, producer) and Chloe Brink (Playing Gracie Darling, actor).

WA filmmakers will have until the end of the year to complete their films with submissions for Get Smart! Presented by Buy West Eat Best opening along with regular feature film, short film and documentary submissions on Monday, 3 August and closing Tuesday, 1 December 2025.

More details about the WA Made Film Festival and Get Smart! Presented by Buy West Eat Best can be found at www.wamadefilmfestival.com.au