Position: Short Film Programmer 

Position type: Volunteer (unpaid)

Commitment & Availability: Approximately 10 hours from July-October for viewing films and 1-1.5 hours per month for team meetings. Hours are casual/flexible and can be completed remotely. 

Start Date: July 2025

Reports to: Festival Director

Role: MWFF programmers are responsible for viewing a selection of short film submissions and providing valuable feedback to help shape MWFF2026’s program. 

Location: Work from home/remote; you will need to provide your own laptop/computer.

MWFF is committed to celebrating diversity and inclusivity, and highly encourages expressions of interest from people regardless of gender identity and expression, ethnicity, cultural background, sexual orientation, disability, and age.

Applicants must be over the age of 18 (or 18 y/o by 1 July 2025) to be eligible for a volunteer position.

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About MWFF

The Melbourne Women in Film Festival (MWFF) is an exciting, volunteer-run not-for-profit organisation that aims to inspire and empower established and emerging women and gender diverse screen practitioners from Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand and the wider Moana region through the celebration of their work in the screen industry. 

Since launching in 2017, MWFF has delivered nine festivals to date, where the festival engages audiences in venues and online with dynamic and inclusive screen experiences. Our program includes feature and short screenings, panel discussions, workshops, education programs, a critics lab, and other industry events. MWFF also partners on screenings and events in line with its mission throughout the year.

Programming Focus

MWFF exhibits the work from collaborative teams of women and gender diverse filmmakers working in all facets of screen production to help redress gender imbalance and underrepresentation. We are committed to celebrating and promoting diversity in the screen industry and believe that it is important to be inclusive in our programming. We are inclusive of cisgender and transgender women, gender diverse, gender non-conforming, genderqueer, non-binary, Indigenous gender identities, and intersex individuals. We strongly encourage submissions from underrepresented groups from across the region including First Nations, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, Disabled, Deaf and hard of hearing communities, and LGBTQI+ communities. 

As a result, we also seek to promote diverse voices in our programming team. Our programming team currently comprises seven members who bring a variety of dynamic perspectives, experiences, and insights to the festival.

Vision & Mission 

We envision a world where the voices, stories and creativity of women and gender diverse people are equally valued, recognised and celebrated on and behind the screen.

Our mission is to expand the vision of gender equality and diversity in the Australian screen industries and culture.

We achieve this by creating dynamic and inclusive spaces that bring diverse practitioners and audiences together to be moved by compelling, provocative and entertaining cinema.

What we need help with

The Short Film Programmer will draw on their passion and advocacy for gender equality and cinema tocontribute to the shaping of MWFF’s 2026 short film programs and ensure meaningful inclusion of diverse voices, stories and creativity in our program.   

• Viewing a selection of short film submissions, evaluating and providing detailed feedback as part of the MWFF programming team.

• Attending online programming meetings to discuss film selections for the final program.

What we ask for

• A passion for women’s and gender diverse filmmakers’ creativity and gender equality with an interest in Australian, Aotearoa New Zealand and/or Pasifika screen cultures.

• Previous engagement with screen and media cultures, with knowledge of contemporary ideas, topics and conversations.             

• Strong organisational and time management skills.

• Ability to work independently and a preparedness to perform a variety of tasks including data entry.

• Preparedness to work evenings and/or weekends.

Previous experience in festival programming is not essential. All you need is a passion for film and the time to watch around 10 hours of shorts. Our experienced programmers can provide training and mentorship.

MWFF volunteers must have a valid Working with Children Check (WWCC). We will forward details of how to apply for this FREE check to the successful applicant if needed.

If this sounds like you, please forward a cover letter and brief CV detailing your experience to Whitney Monaghan via positions@mwff.org.au by Monday 7th July, 5pm using the subject line ‘VOLUNTEER SHORT FILM PROGRAMMER’.