UTS filmmakers shine at SXSW Sydney Screen Festival

The SXSW Sydney 2025 Screen Festival has put the spotlight on Australia’s next generation of filmmakers, revealing bold ideas and fresh voices.

Four short films made by UTS students were featured at SXSW Sydney, showcasing a range of styles and delving into themes such as identity, migration and culture.

The collaboration with SXSW Sydney underscores UTS's commitment to fostering creativity and storytelling within the screen industry. The SXSW Sydney Screen Festival included more than 100 feature films, five world premieres, and 39 Australian premieres.

Free Money

Directed by Lisianne Chan, Free Money tells the story of Asian-Australian Wen, who is in for a surprise when she tags along to lunch with Aunty Poh and her friends. The film explores the theme of economic disparity through a satirical lens.

The aunties take the honour of being the person to pay the bill very seriously. When limbs start flying, Wen and Aunty Poh come to terms with the importance of friendship and family.  

Baba, Can I Ask You Something?  

Director Hafsah Felgouma embarks on a journey to rediscover her father’s life story through his two oldest friends, uncovering a narrative shaped by migration, values and sacrifice.

Through personal stories, archival footage and candid conversations, she confronts her own feelings of cultural disconnection and identity, while seeking to bridge the emotional and cultural distance that exists between them.  

The War Came To Us

Directed by Brandon Tannoury, Tim Fontes and Tyler Patten, The War Came to Us is a poignant narrative depicting the impact of conflict on personal lives and communities.

The film uses animation and voice-over to tell the story of Amir, a 13-year-old boy struggling to find his place in the world. Amir drags his younger brother, 10-year-old Mori, along with him as he joins the Lebanese Militia and take up arms, completely unaware of the brutal nature of war.

Barbie 

Directed by Hillary Shephard, this nearly six-minute experimental animation is a creative reimagining of the iconic doll's universe, offering a fresh perspective on gender and societal expectations.

This Barbie's world includes fentanyl trafficking, foreign wars, sex trafficking, armed rebel militia and late-stage capitalism.