Spiritus Short Film Awards

The Spiritus Short Film Awards are an initiative of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Charles Sturt University, Canberra and were first awarded in 2015. In Latin, spiritus means breath or spirit.

About the prize

The purpose of the Spiritus Short Film Awards is to encourage the production and dissemination of short films that engage the spiritual dimension.

The Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture gives thanks for the vision and generous support of Lynlea and Clive Rodger in making these Awards possible.

Selected entries are included in a screening as part of the Canberra Short Film Festival held at the Dendy Cinemas, Canberra, at which the prize winners are announced.

2026 Spiritus Short Film Awards

The 2026 ceremony will take place in early November (dates to be confirmed) and the value of prizes ranges from $AUD 750 to $AUD 2000.

For prize rules and details of how to enter, visit our page on the Film Freeway website.

Past winners

2025

  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Damian McLindon, The Ranch Motel
  • Highly Commended: Eleanor Evans and Giovanni Aguilar, Broken Homes
  • Commended: Alison Stanton-Cook, He Was A Good Man
  • 18 and Under: Nou De Souza, What If I Told You The World Revolves Around Dung Beetles?

2024

  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Damian McLindon, The Last Time I Saw You
  • Highly Commended: Alexandrena Parker, Screentime
  • Commended: Todd Antony, We Are Flying Stars
  • Commended: Adam Lichoudaris, Tomorrow’s Trees
  • Commended: Mark Russel Bernard, Inner Depths
  • Regional: Tace Stevens, To Be Silent

2023

  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Anna Dvorak, The Choice to Love
  • Highly Commended: Julian Neuhaus, The Entrepreneur
  • Commended: Gabrielle Grégoire, Soul
  • Regional: Robert Sherwood, Healing Heart, Feeling Country

2022

  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Timothy Raymond Brown and Michael Bruce Portway, The Sanctuary
  • Highly Commended: Andrew Kaineder, Mourning Country
  • Regional: Marlon Denning, The Rock Pool Waltz

2021

  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Radheya Jegatheva, Painting By Numbers

2020

  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Kereen Ely-Harper, Girls Can Do Anything
  • Highly Commended: Barry Mitchell, Legacy
  • Commended: Holly Winter, New Brother

2018

  • Religious Short Film Prize: Jamey Foxton and Ryan Simpson, The Giver

2015

  • Religious Short Film Prize: Liz Cooper, The Forgotten Tree

Past winners

  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Damian McLindon, The Ranch Motel
  • Highly Commended: Eleanor Evans and Giovanni Aguilar, Broken Homes
  • Commended: Alison Stanton-Cook, He Was A Good Man
  • 18 and Under: Nou De Souza, What If I Told You The World Revolves Around Dung Beetles?
  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Damian McLindon, The Last Time I Saw You
  • Highly Commended: Alexandrena Parker, Screentime
  • Commended: Todd Antony, We Are Flying Stars
  • Commended: Adam Lichoudaris, Tomorrow’s Trees
  • Commended: Mark Russel Bernard, Inner Depths
  • Regional: Tace Stevens, To Be Sile
  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Anna Dvorak, The Choice to Love
  • Highly Commended: Julian Neuhaus, The Entrepreneur
  • Commended: Gabrielle Grégoire, Soul
  • Regional: Robert Sherwood, Healing Heart, Feeling Country
  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Timothy Raymond Brown and Michael Bruce Portway, The Sanctuary
  • Highly Commended: Andrew Kaineder, Mourning Country
  • Regional: Marlon Denning, The Rock Pool Waltz

Spiritus Short Film Prize: Radheya Jegatheva, Painting By Number

  • Spiritus Short Film Prize: Kereen Ely-Harper, Girls Can Do Anything
  • Highly Commended: Barry Mitchell, Legacy
  • Commended: Holly Winter, New Brother

Religious Short Film Prize: Jamey Foxton and Ryan Simpson, The Giver

Religious Short Film Prize: Liz Cooper, The Forgotten Tree