2026 SPARK Short Film Screening

About

WHAT:

Join us for the red-carpet 2026 SPARK Short Film Screenings, an unforgettable evening celebrating Northern Territory storytelling on the big screen.

Presented by Screen Territory, SPARK is the Northern Territory's flagship short film initiative providing our local filmmakers with the opportunity to bring bold new stories to life.

This year's screening showcases four original short films, each created and filmed in the Territory, and now premiering on the VMAX screen at Event Cinemas Palmerston.

Funded by Screen Territory, the 2026 program has been delivered with the additional support of Panavision, Kojo, Trackdown, the Australian Film Television and Radio School (AFTRS), and Sydney Acting Studio.

The initiative is further supported by award winning Executive Producer Rachel Clements (Brindle Films) and acclaimed Australian showrunner Greg Haddrick (Broadstory) serving as Development Mentor.

TIMINGS:

Red Carpet from 1830hrs
Film Screening from 1915hrs
Event Wrap est. 2100hrs

THE FILMS:

"LATCH" (Indicative rating M)

Leo is a city hit man out of his depth on an outback cattle station road, with a body in the boot and his sleeve caught in the latch, when Sue , a Parks ranger, stops to help. Over the dry heat and drier humour, LATCH plays their encounter as a slow-burn dark comedy, set squarely in the NT outback.

WRITER/DIRECTOR/PRODUCER: Bridget May
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Dylan River
CAST: Pedrea Jackson, Trisha Morton-Thomas

"HARDCASE" (Indicative rating MA)