2024 Blacktown Shorts Film Festival
8 August 2024
In the Playhouse
Cinema
Blacktown Shorts Film Festival is back and heading to one of Australia’s most iconic venues. Now in its third year, the 2024 Blacktown Shorts Film Festival will premiere five newly-commissioned short films from some of Western Sydney’s most exciting filmmakers.
The festival is curated by writer, director, producer and actor Vonne Patiag, returning as the 2024 Festival Director.
| Date | Time |
| Thursday 8 August 2024 | 8.30pm |
| Ticket | Price |
| Standard | $30 |
| Concession | $26 |
| Ticket + Drink | |
| Standard | $39* |
$8.95 booking fee applies per transaction
*Includes one standard ticket plus one drink redeemable on the day of the event from the Western Foyers Bar. Drink options include one glass of house red or white wine, prosecco, house beer or soft drink. See T&Cs under 'Event information'.
Prices correct at the time of publication and subject to change without notice. Exact prices will be displayed with seat selection.
The only authorised ticket agency for this event is Sydney Opera House. For more information about Authorised Agencies, see the frequently asked questions below.
General Public tickets on-sale
9am, Wednesday 26 June
In English
Wheelchair accessible:
There are a number of wheelchair and companion seating locations in our theatres. To book accessible seating contact Box Office:
Telephone
+61 2 9250 7777
(Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm AEST)
Email bookings@sydneyoperahouse.com
Find out more about accessibility at Sydney Opera House.
Run time
The total duration of this event is approximately 90 minutes.
Event duration is a guide only and may be subject to change.
Age
This film is unclassified 15+.
Children aged 15 years and under must be accompanied at all times.
The Opera House is committed to the safety and wellbeing of children that visit or engage with us. Read our Child Safety Policy.
Ticket + Drink
The Ticket + Drink entitles a patron to one standard entry to the film screening plus one drink. Drink options include one glass of house red or white wine, prosecco, house beer or soft drink. Red wine must be consumed prior to entering the theatre.
Redeem your drink prior to the film start time. The voucher must be redeemed on the same day as the film screening date displayed on your ticket. The drink voucher is only redeemable at the bar located in the Sydney Opera House Western Foyers. For further information please contact the Box Office: +61 2 9250 7777
Alcoholic beverages are subject to the NSW Responsible Service of Alcohol Act.
Five newly-commissioned short films
Blacktown Shorts Film Festival is a curated, local film festival presented by Blacktown Arts. It commissions emerging and established Western Sydney creatives to develop short films celebrating the stories and creatives of Blacktown and Western Sydney.
The program first premiered in 2019 at Blacktown Showground Precinct, and again in 2023 at Skyline Drive-In Blacktown as part of the Blacktown Arts Magnify program.
Now in its third year, Festival Director Vonne Patiag curates a dynamic line-up of short films alongside the new commissions. Since its inception, Blacktown Shorts Film Festival has celebrated local filmmakers and created a platform to share their local stories with audiences.
Presented by Sydney Opera House
Commissioned Program
Humanising
by Feras Shaheen
The Whispering Glass
by Taofia Tauiliili Pelesasa
Button Pusher
by Miski Omar
A Blacktown Ballad
by Herbert Leota and Jonny Taouk
This Town Talks
by Abhishek Parasher, Chidiebube Uba and Marco Alexiadis
Curated Program
Tomgirl (2019)
by Vonne Patiag
Tony’s Dream (2023)
by Augusto Garcia, Daisy Montalvo, and Sebastian Chan
Featured in 2023 Blacktown Short Film Festival
In Search of the White Deer (2023)
by Esky Escandor and Reg Azwar
Full Program Gallery
Blacktown Arts
Blacktown Arts is an award-winning leader in the development and presentation of contemporary arts in Australia. Dharug and First Nations Elders, artists and communities are at heart of everything they do.
Blacktown Arts are committed to exploring innovative, culturally-diverse work that reflects Blacktown and western Sydney. They support artistic innovation and provide curated creative experiences across First Nations programs, visuals arts, performance, festivals and events, residencies and more.
They manage Blacktown City’s art collections, present dynamic public art across the region, and lead cultural strategy for Blacktown City.
Vonne Patiag
Festival Director
Vonne Patiag is an AACTA, AWGIE, Logie and SPA Award-nominated Filmmaker and Actor based in Western Sydney. His credits include Significant Others (ABC), The Unusual Suspects (SBS), Here Out West (ABC), Too Many Ethnics, Tomgirl (SBS), and Halal Gurls (ABC).
He was a participant in the prestigious TIFF Filmmaker Lab 2021 in support of the feature adaptation of Tomgirl and was part of the Talent USA Delegate 2022 sponsored by Screen Australia.
In 2020 he produced and co-wrote The Unusual Suspects with Aquarius Films, and feature film anthology Here Out West with Co-Curious and Emerald Productions. His latest short ‘Too Many Ethnics’ premiered at Flickerfest in 2023.
Other information
Venue information
Our foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
All Sydney Opera House foyers are pram accessible, with lifts to the main and western foyers. The public lift to all foyers is accessible from the corridor near the escalators on the Lower Concourse and also in the Western Foyer via the corridor on the Ground Level (at the top of the escalators). Pram parking will be available outside the theatres in the Western Foyer.
Getting here
The Sydney Opera House Car Park, operated by Wilson Parking, is open and available to use. Wilson Parking offer discounted parking if you book ahead. Please see the Wilson Parking website for details.
Please check the Transport NSW website for the latest advice and information on travel. You can catch public transport (bus, train, ferry) to Circular Quay and enjoy a six min walk to the Opera House.
Covid-safe information
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We’re committed to making your experience safe, comfortable and enjoyable, with a number of measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. We remind our audiences and visitors to please stay home if you feel unwell. If you need to discuss your ticketing or booking options, contact our Box Office team on 02 9250 7777.
The health and wellbeing of everyone attending the Opera House is our top priority. We have a number of safety measures in place including regular cleaning of high-touch areas, air conditioning systems that maximise ventilation, and hand sanitiser stations positioned in all paths of travel. While face masks are no longer required, we ask all our patrons and visitors to practise good hygiene. Please stay home if you feel unwell and read more about our flexible ticket options.
The Sydney Opera House no longer requires patrons to show that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
Frequently asked questions
Ticket purchases and collection at our Box Office is discouraged and eTicket or postal delivery methods should be used, wherever possible. However, if you are collecting your tickets from the Box Office, we recommend doing this at least 60 minutes before the event starts. If you have already received your tickets, the venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Please take your seats as soon as you arrive.
If you are late, we will seat you as soon as we can and, where possible, in your allocated seat. However, to reduce movement in the venue as well as minimise disruption to the performance and other patrons, ticketholders may be seated in an allocated latecomer’s seat. Please be aware that some events have lock-out periods. In these cases, latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance. On occasions, this may not be until the interval, or at all where there is no interval.
Details of our right to refuse admission can be found in our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Events.
In accordance with our venue security procedures, Opera House security will be scanning and checking bags under the Monumental Stairs, prior to entering the building. Bags will be scanned by an x-ray machine, and staff will wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when handling your belongings, such as gloves. Cloaking facilities will be open 60 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 60 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. However it is strongly encouraged that you travel lightly to minimise contact and queuing. Any bags larger than an A4 piece of paper will need to be checked into the Cloak Room.
The authorised agency for this event is the Sydney Opera House.
Only tickets purchased by authorised agencies should be considered reliable. If you purchase tickets from a non-authorised agency such as Ticketmaster Resale, Viagogo, Ticketbis, eBay, Gumtree, Tickets Australia or any other unauthorised seller, you risk that these tickets are fake, void or have previously been cancelled. RESALE RESTRICTION APPLIES. For more details, please refer to our General Terms and Conditions for Tickets and Attendance at Events.
Please contact Box Office on 9250 7777 as soon as possible to advise if you can no longer attend.
Foyers will be open 90 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and two hours pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances. Refreshments will be available for purchase from our theatre bars.
The venue doors will be open 45 minutes pre-show for Concert Hall and Joan Sutherland Theatre performances, and 30 minutes pre-show for Western Foyer venue performances.
Please bring a credit or debit card for any on site purchases to enable contactless payment. You’re welcome to bring your own water bottle but no other food and drinks are permitted inside our venues. Opera Bar, Opera Kitchen and Portside are also available for you to enjoy.
The health, safety and wellbeing of everyone at the Sydney Opera House is our top priority. In line with this commitment, the Opera House became a smoke-free site in January 2022. Read our Smoke-free Environment Policy.
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