ACTF News

The Australian Children’s Television Foundation and Trop Jr have joined forces to give children the opportunity to enter Australia’s biggest short film competition for kids.

Trop Jr is part of Tropfest, one of the world’s most famous short film festivals, which returned in 2026 after a six-year hiatus. Trop Jr gives young people aged 15 and under the chance to show their creativity to the world by making a short film and sharing it with a huge audience.

The ACTF Education team has created a free Trop Jr Education Resource used to help Year 5 – 10 teachers support their students in hands-on filmmaking. More content will be added throughout the year as well as free virtual masterclasses on short film making with TropFest alumni, so students can continue building skills.

Teachers can also join our free virtual professional learning session designed to build confidence in teaching filmmaking and supporting students to create their own short films.

For children whose schools do not take part in Trop Jr, the resource can be used at home individually or as part of a team. It is designed to support young people through every stage of creating a short film, from the first spark of an idea to the final edit.

John Polson, Founder and Director of Tropfest said: “I'm incredibly proud to see the launch of our new Trop Jr Education Resources in partnership with the ACTF. These materials are designed to empower the next generation of Australian storytellers by giving teachers and students the practical tools they need to bring their creative visions to life. Short film has always been about accessibility and big ideas, and I can't wait to see how these resources inspire young filmmakers across the country to pick up a camera and tell their own unique stories.” 

ACTF CEO Jenny Buckland says: “Screen stories shape how young people see themselves and the world. Trop Jr offers an exciting and accessible entry point for Australian children to create and share their stories on a national stage. We’re thrilled to be working with Trop Jr to arm children and teachers with all the skills they need to explore the wonderful world of filmmaking and inspire the next generation of Australian storytellers.”

Learn more about Trop Jr here.