Three years after our first online puppet festival in 2020 (while many of us were in Covid-lockdown), we wanted to keep finding silver linings and put some joy out into the world and submit short, uplifting puppet films.

In 2023 we had 11 submissions from Australia, Iran and Croatia. They will be judged by members of our UNIMA Australia Committee. 

Watch the films on our Youtube channel now! 

👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvY_CkuVhyYigcKtNQMAfuZxFiJQTXIE5 

Watch Films Now

Please vote for your favourite film for the People’s Choice Award: https://forms.gle/QHk7WN2uaMu8vHz18 

Vote for People’s Choice Award (Google Form)

Voting closes midnight AEDT on Saturday 16th December, 2023.

We will have an awards night (via Zoom) to announce winners on Sunday 17th December, 2023 at 7pm (AEDT).  

Thank you to everyone who contributed! Here are the films for 2023:

1. Call of the Forest – Susie Boeselt @ominous_pigeon (SA)

2. Spring Break – Music by Fiona Finley & Evan Kerr – @dramastudioaustralia (NSW), Edited by Kay Yasugi (Pupperoos @kay_yasugi). Puppets by Sue Wallace & Steve Coupe – @sydneypuppettheatre (NSW), Angie Macmillan @angiemacm (VIC), Jill Webster – Story Bubble (NSW), Nadira Sanif @hessian_hare (VIC)

3. My Name is Lunar – Dominic Castro (NSW)

4. Call to the Forest – Kailah Cabanas & Matthew Patton @kailah_cabanas

5. Chillin’ in the Breeze –  Matt Bottos , Alex Joy, Lauren Kemp & Nadira Sanif (VIC) @shadowplay.creations @oneorangesockproductions @laurenfkemp @hessian_hare

6. Leaves – Isabella “Izzie” von Lichtan (TAS) @ChickMacGyver

7. Bandicoot – Trina Gaskell & Enio Pozzebon – @bonkeltheatre (VIC) 

8. The BB3 Live in Concert- Glenn O’Rourke @svenn.thepuppetsmith (NSW)

9. We and the Forest – Fariba Ricky @yasm3419 (Iran)

10. An Experiment in Motion Capture Puppetry – Lyle Winton (VIC)

11. The Song from the Heart – Anamarija Šerbetar and Petar Unger @weepetar (Croatia) 

UNIMA Australia is about friendship through puppetry – promoting peace and hope through our art form. We hope that everyone can find keep finding joy, hope and ‘silver linings’ wherever they may be. 

Thank you to our sponsor Lumin’s Workshop for awarding gift vouchers to our winners! Lumin’s Workshop offers a myriad of materials for makers, crafters, cosplayers and more. They are based in Melbourne, Victoria. https://www.luminsworkshop.com/

Winners will also receive a year’s membership to UNIMA Australia, the official puppetry organisation of Australia. Membership is open to anyone around the world. For more information please go to https://www.unima.org.au/membership/

Awards & Prizes

1) Best Australian entry 

$100 gift voucher from Lumin’s Workshop

1 year membership to UNIMA Australia (valued at $50)*

2) Best International entry  

$100 gift voucher from Lumin’s Workshop 

1 year membership to UNIMA Australia (valued at $50)*

3) Highly commended 

$50 gift voucher from Lumin’s Workshop

1 year membership to UNIMA Australia (valued at $50)*

4) People’s choice (audience can vote for their favourite)

$50 gift voucher from Lumin’s Workshop

1 year membership to UNIMA Australia (valued at $50)*

Prizes are non transferable and non-exchangeable and cannot be redeemed for cash. 

*For group submissions, we can award up to 3 x 1 year UNIMA memberships (combined value of $150). Please note that the group will be awarded the one gift voucher from Lumin’s Workshop. 

For any enquiries, contact our General Secretary Kay at secretary@unima.org.au

UNIMA Australia is about friendship through puppetry – promoting peace and hope through our art form. We hope that everyone can find keep finding joy, hope and ‘silver linings’ wherever they may be. 

Thank you to our sponsor Lumin’s Workshop for awarding gift vouchers to our winners! Lumin’s Workshop offers a myriad of materials for makers, crafters, cosplayers and more. They are based in Melbourne, Victoria. https://www.luminsworkshop.com/

Winners will also receive a year’s membership to UNIMA Australia, the official puppetry organisation of Australia. Membership is open to anyone around the world. For more information please go to https://www.unima.org.au/membership/

Click here to see our previous entries from Silver Linings 2020 & 2022!