L to R back row standing: Mitchell Withers, Andrew Goode, Meg Duncan, Jasper Caverly, Angela How, Mark Thomson, Akec Makur Chuot and David Callow

VicScreen, Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) and the AFL today announced the five filmmaking teams selected for the second round of Footy Shorts, a short-form documentary initiative celebrating the stories, communities and traditions surrounding Australian Rules Football.

Footy Shorts offers emerging Victorian screen storytellers the chance to create short documentaries exploring Australian Rules Football on and off the field. Each team receives a $25,000 production budget, professional development with industry mentors, and access to the AFL’s footage archive and support from AFL Clubs.

Last year, Footy Shorts reached more than 30,000 viewers through MIFF screenings, the AFL’s Grand Final week celebrations at Federation Square, other festivals, and MIFF and AFL online channels.

The selected teams will each make a short documentary exploring Australian Rules Football on and off the field, premiering at MIFF 2026 in August. The films will also be available nation-wider through MIFF Online from 14-30 August.

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Five projects have been financed and are now in production, the successful teams and their projects are:

Carn the Chinese! by Producer/Director Angela How
A community’s efforts to belong sees a group of young Chinese Australian men come together and play their national game of Aussie Rules with true blue passion and gusto.

For the Boys by Director/Producer Mitchell Withers and Producer Sofia Viegas
For his sons, he came out. For himself, he plays again. Australia’s first openly queer ex-AFL player Mitch Brown steps back onto the field, bringing his whole self for the first time.

Kura: An African AFL Story by Writer/Director/Producer Akec Makur Chuot and Director/Producer Meg Duncan
Former AFLW player Akec Makur Chuot traces a path from her heroes to the new generation of African Australian stars navigating two worlds to find belonging.

Invincible Spirit by Co-Producer/Writer/Director Mark Thomson and Co-Producer/Director/Director of Photography/Editor David Callow
In the heart of the Goulburn Murray, the Rumbalara Football and Netball Club stands as a modern-day fortress of Yorta Yorta pride, a sanctuary of cultural healing where a community fights not just for points, but for the safety and dignity of its children.

North Melbourne Cheer Squad by Co-Directors Jasper Caverly and Andrew Goode and Producer Sophie Booth
Members of the North Melbourne Football Club Cheer Squad prepare to face long-standing rivals Essendon: a club they haven’t beaten in a decade.

The five Footy Shorts films will have a gala world premiere at the 74th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) in August 2026. MIFF runs 6–23 August 2026.

Following MIFF, the films will be available to view digitally across all AFL platforms, including AFL.com.au and the AFL app.

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