Recognised amongst the best in the world, short-films are hand-picked from the festival’s 2,700 entries, giving local Flickerfest audiences the first look at the hottest shorts in the world today. 

Flickerfest returns to the Mid North Coast from March 1 to 3, when it brings laughs and drama to Crescent Head, Kempsey and South West Rocks. 

The 'Best of Australian Shorts' program kicks off the Macleay's Flickerest on Friday March 1 at 7.30pm at Crescent Head Public School. Continuing Saturday, March 2, the festival's 'Short Laughs Comedy' program will screen at West Kempsey's Oddfellows Hall at 7.30pm. Finishing up with the 'Best of International Shorts' program, the festival heads to South West Rocks for the final festival screening at 2pm at the South West Roxy Cinema. 

Crescent Head screenings: Best of Australian Shorts, Friday, March 1, 7.30pm: 

All These Creatures is the winner of the Palme d'Or at Cannes in 2018 and Best Editing at the Flickerfest 2019, about an adolescent boy who attempts to untangle his memories of a mysterious infestation, the unravelling of his father, and the little creatures inside us all.

Carousel Of Shame is about the fantastical world of Della Mortika, where steam is king, where life is hard, but where adventure is always adventure. It's the winner of the Best Australian Animation award at Flickerfest 2019.

Desert Dash is the creative comedy by Gracie Otto, where on the outskirts of Australia, opals are now the currency for survival in the game of Desert Dash. When a feisty heroine gets the opportunity to ‘level up’ there is no choice but to win. 

Ghostbear by comedian and actor Paul McDermott, who makes a return to Flickerfest, is a beautifully crafted and haunting animation which looks at the world's disappearing species. In the animation a polar bear cub, the Ghostbear, wanders through the antic wasteland in search of his place in the world and his birthplace in the stars.

Kempsey, Oddfellows Hall screenings: Short Laughs Comedy, Saturday, March 2:

Clever comedy follows as audiences chortle their way through a selection of off-kilter funny shorts from Australia and across the world with the Short Laughs Comedy program starting at 7.30pm. Highlights include:

Animal Behaviour (nominated for an Oscar), where five animals meet regularly to discuss their inner angst in a group therapy session led by Dr Clement, a canine psychotherapist.

How It Feels To Be Hungover, about a man wakes up at a clinic specialised in malignant hangovers. The doctor prescribes 600ml of ice cream and two action comedies, but also shares some news, which doesn’t make him feel any better.

South West Roxy Cinema screenings: Best Of International Shorts, Sunday, March 3, 2pm: 

This International selection of film gems highlights include:

Magic Alps, the moving and insightful short film from Italy that tells the moving story of an Afghani refugee who arrives in Italy with his goat and seeks political asylum for both of them.

Phone Duty from the Russian Federation, Best International short at Flickerfest 2019.

Between The Shadows from Portugal, is another notable short film. It took out the SAE Qantm Award for Best Use of Digital Technology In A Short Film and Best Game Ever from Academy Award winning director Kristóf Deák from Hungary, which was awarded Best EU Short Film.

Tickets are $15 per person and can be purchased online.

Best of Australian Shorts at Crescent Head:  http://flickerfest.com.au/tour/crescenthead-nsw/

Short Laughs Comedy at Kempsey: http://flickerfest.com.au/tour/kempsey-nsw/

Best Of International Shorts at South West Rocks: http://flickerfest.com.au/tour/south-west-rocks/