Celebrate diversity at free Multicultural Film Festival screening
Published on 04 September 2026
St Arnaud will showcase 10 extraordinary short films chosen from almost 800 submissions on Friday, September 18, with the town selected among hosts of this year’s 2026 Victorian Multicultural Film Festival.
Entry to the festival screening, at St Arnaud Community Cinema from 4.30pm to 6.30pm, is free of charge.
Northern Grampians Shire Council is bringing the festival to St Arnaud as part of a regional tour across Victoria, presented by the Victorian Multicultural Commission in partnership with Swinburne University of Technology and SBS.
The St Arnaud event also includes complimentary cultural food courtesy of East Wimmera Health Service.
Free tickets are available online via council’s website, here.
The festival debuted in Melbourne during Refugee Week and showcases multicultural experiences from Australia and throughout the world.
Through storytelling, the festival creates opportunities for diverse voices and experiences to be seen and heard, with this year's selection sharing powerful stories of resilience, hope, culture and identity.
The short films explore migration, culture, identity and hope, made by emerging filmmakers from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including refugee and migrant storytellers sharing their own lived experience.
The regional tour also included a screening at Halls Gap in July.
Northern Grampians Shire mayor Karen Hyslop said the festival provided an opportunity to connect people across cultures, languages and generations and celebrate the diversity of our communities.
She said the short films were well-received by audiences in Halls Gap and encouraged the region’s residents to make the most of the opportunity to view the festival in St Arnaud.
“The St Arnaud screening is part of a much larger statewide initiative that showcases stories from communities across Victoria and around the world,” she said.
“For regional communities like ours, these opportunities are especially important.
“Celebrating multiculturalism helps create a stronger sense of belonging for everyone and sends a clear message that Northern Grampians Shire is a place where diversity is welcomed and valued.”
Cr Hyslop said diversity was among the shire's biggest strengths.
“Council's Multicultural Action Plan recognises this and commits us to creating welcoming, inclusive and connected communities where everyone has the opportunity to participate, belong and contribute,” she said.
“The plan’s focus is on ensuring that people from all cultural backgrounds feel seen, heard and valued in our towns and across our shire.
“Come along to the festival and celebrate diversity with us. Everyone is welcome — bring your family, friends and neighbours.”
Best Victorian Short Fiction Film: Tabbeh (winner); The Sun Comes Up (honourable mention).
Best Victorian Short Non-Fiction Film: Huí Jiā (winner); With Love, Nouria (honourable mention and people’s choice winner).
Best National Short Film: 20 Years Later (winner); Squata Locks (honourable mention); Everyone Gets Bored of Everything (official selection).
Chairperson's Refugee Stories Award: From No Voice to Big Voice (winner); Maksym & Milana (honourable mention); I came from there (official selection).