Sit Down, Shutup and Watch Screen Festival

14/07/2025

All of you fabulous filmmakers-looking forwards to your new content :)

04/07/2025

Calling all neurodivergent and learning disabled digital storytellers!
Entries for our Sit Down Shutup and Watch (SDSW) Screen Festival are now open! We invite you to contribute content to our SDSW 2026 Screen Festival – the Southern Hemisphere’s longest running international learning disability led screen festival.
In 2026, the SDSW Festival is interactive, accessible, global – and larger than ever before! Learn more and apply via Film Freeway, https://filmfreeway.com/SitDownShutupAndWatchScreenFestival
Submissions open until 31 December 2025.

31/10/2024

It’s Halloween 🎃 so our Day 6 films are not for the faint-hearted!

The A Files (UK) – Directed by Max Endersby
See if you can untangle the truth in this suspenseful psychological drama.

Mine (Canada) - By Yana Shinder, Esabella Strickland, Joey Murata
You might be a little spooked by this intriguing tale.
The Cinematheque Creative BC City of North Vancouver

Monsters Within (USA) – Directed by Sebrina Dement Semer
This high quality animated short could scare you…or surprise you, with its clever plot twist.
NYU Tisch School of the Arts

The Drag Tour (Australia) – Key creative: Anastasia Beasley
Finish Day 6 on a much lighter note, with this witty take on a tour of Whyalla, South Australia – from the Burn Your Postcards project.

00:00 – Intro by Tyson0:46 – The A Team21:18 – Mine26:03 – Monsters Within32:10 – Burn Your Postcards: Drag Tour ---Visit https://www.sitdownsh...

30/10/2024

We're going to finish our 2024 Festival with an amazing live event this Friday at Tutti Arts Barossa in Nuriootpa!

🎞 Watch short films by learning disabled creators

🖥 Visit The Comfort Zone - a pop-up tech hub full of exciting creative tools. You can do things like create your avatar and animate it!

🕹 💃 Have fun with classic arcade games from Ultracade, music and dancing

Friday 1 November 2024, 1pm - 7pm
Come for the afternoon, or pop-in when you can
Tutti Arts Barossa, 56 Murray St, Nuriootpa - Peramangk, Ngadjuri & Kaurna Country
Access: wheelchair accessible venue, captioned films
Book a free ticket on Humanitix here: https://events.humanitix.com/sit-down-shutup-and-watch-live-at-tutti-arts-barossa or just come along!

Sit Down Shutup and Watch Screen Festival and Comfort Zone are supported by Arts South Australia.

Photos by Maryada Rehling.

[Image description: Image 1 Photo of a crowd in a darkened room watching a film. On screen is a pair of glasses. Image 2 Photo of people clapping and smiling Image 3 Photo of a person wearing a Virtual Reality headset with another person adjusting the handheld devices. Image 4 A photo of two people silhouetted against a video game on a large screen. Image 5 A photo of a person seated at a table, creating art on a tablet.]

30/10/2024

5 films for Day 5! Our reviewer, and award-winning film maker, Michael Need, introduces today’s shorts in his insightful style.

Inside the Big Brain of Head Teacher Irina von Martens (Finland) – Directed by Mikaela Hasán
A sophisticated and multi-layered film that will intrigue you.
DuvTeatern

These Are The Sounds I Make (Australia) – Directed by Andy Bambach, Suzanne Whiteman
A very personal film centred around a young woman named Simi.

Spaceships (Australia) - Directed by Hollie Andrew
This film has it all – emotionally intelligent writing, strong performances and beautiful cinematography.
Abundabiliteez Productions

Bus Stop (Australia) – Directed by Vinh Nguyen
Combining live action and animation, this film cleverly illustrates one man’s troubled relationship with public transport.
Arts Access Victoria

The Medieval Fair (Australia)
Capturing the sights and sounds of Lyndoch’s Medieval Fair, this short documentary was made as part of the Burn Your Postcards project.

00:00 – Intro by Michael01:17 – Inside the Big Brain of Head Teacher05:40 – These Are the Sounds I Make15:19 - Spaceships20:44 – Bus Stop24:22 – Burn Your Po...

29/10/2024

With an intro from one of our newest Committee members, Katie Rose, our Day 4 films are all impressive for different reasons.

Demolition Splash (Australia) – By James Bull
This music video won the South Australian Choice Award at the 2024 Focus on Ability Film Festival. The beat is irresistible!

One More Day (Spain) – Directed by Carlos Puig Mundó
This compelling and well-constructed film tackles the ever-present issues of prejudice and bullying.

Glee in the Gumtrees (Australia) – Key creatives: Axel Lochert and Owen Stokes
A Burn Your Postcards short which features great acting from some multi-talented creatives in South Australia’s Riverland.
Riverland Youth Theatre - RYT

00:00 – Intro by Katie00:51 – Demolition Splash04:13 – One More Day‘When Colour Bursts Through’ is unavailable28:21 – Burn Your Postcards: Glee in the Gumtre...

28/10/2024

🎬 Let’s start the week with an eclectic collection of films that is sure to have something for everyone!

Our Day 3 films are introduced by Committee member James Kurtze. Speical shout-out to the talented Mikey Oz Need who delivers reviews of all of our 2024 Festival films.

The Collector (UK) - Directed by Ray Jacobs
A beautifully choreographed film which explores the power of memories. Arty Party

An Adventure at Glenelg Beach (Australia) – Directed by Joel Hartgen
Animated friends join Joel on an upbeat everyday adventure.

The Sunrise After Every Twilight (Italy) – Directed by Laboratorio Videomaking Philos
A powerful parable about two very different worlds.

Orange (Australia) – Key creatives: Axel Lochert and Owen Stokes
A clever film set in Waikerie, South Australia from the Burn Your Postcards project. Riverland Youth Theatre - RYT

00:00 – Intro by James01:18 – The Collector09:35 – An Adventure at Glenelg Beach12:13 – The Sunrise After Every Twilight27:40 – Burn Your Postcards: Orange...

24/10/2024

Our Day 2 films mix things up a bit! 🥣 Committee member Matthew Wauchope provides the introduction and spots someone who looks ‘awfully familiar’...

Madder Maxxine (Australia) - Directed by Joseph Giannini, Linley Kaminski, Amy Edwards, Michael Ashley, Michael Dion, Steven Horvath, John Vesely
This film puts the ‘max’ in Maxxine with lots of action and special effects.

Got the Spirit (New Zealand) – Directed by Molly Power and Tom Lewis
This romantic comedy features high quality cinematography, some great one liners and a bit of swearing.

Bob (Australia) – Key creatives: Natalie Anderson and Meagan Watt
Another film from the Burn Your Postcards project, this one puts the spotlight on a maritime mystery in Whyalla, South Australia.

Massey University D'faces of youth arts Inc.

00:00 – Intro by Matt00:54 – Madder Maxxine16:17 – Got the Spirit32:47 – Burn Your Postcards: Kraken ---Visit https://www.sitdownshutupandwatch...

23/10/2024

Day 1 of the Festival is here! 🙌 Introduced by our Chair Sara Egarr, today’s collection includes three beautifully crafted animations, a dramatic bio and a moving image postcard from South Australia’s Barossa Valley. Enjoy!

The Longing of The Trees (Spain) - Directed by Jesús Pertíñez López
A beautifully layered animation

Eilid (Ireland) – Directed by Naomi Hanlon
A clever representation of an autistic girl’s experience in an adverse society

The WANT (Greece) - Directed by Mania Syriopoulou
An intimate portrayal of frustration, friendship and the need to be heard

Friends in the Underneath (USA) - Directed by Sebrina Grace Dement Semer
A strange creature trying to survive finds something worth living for

The Tree Tour (Australia) – Key creatives: Edie Bolton, Zinnia Weight
A film from the Burn Your Postcards project which saw young people in regional South Australia produce short films that reveal a new perspective on their hometowns.

Sit Down Shutup and Watch Screen Festival is supported by Arts South Australia.

00:00 – Intro by Sarah00:58 – The Longing of the Trees09:19 – Eilid13:25 – The Want20:24 – Friends in the Underneath24:00 – Burn Your Postcards: Trees #...

22/10/2024

22/10/2024

No need for scrolling, we've got your entertainment needs covered for the next 10 days! We'll be sharing curated collections of fantastic short films by learning disabled creators from around the world 🗺 that have been selected for this year's Sit Down Shutup and Watch Screen Festival.

🌟Highlights include Greek film 'The Want' by Mania Syriopoulou (Day 1), 'Demolition Splash' by South Australian James Bull (Day 4), 'Inside the Big Brain of Head Teacher Irina Von Martens' from Finnish Director Mikaela Hasan (Day 5) and Australian film 'The Drag Tour' (Day 6) from the Burn Your Postcards project.

Each collection runs for about 30 to 40 minutes and includes reviews by award-winning film maker Mikey Oz Need. Watch via our page, website or YouTube channel from tomorrow!

[Image description: Video begins with the words "Sit Down Shutup and Watch Screen Festival" and a graphic of an open mouth with a multi-coloured swirl on the tongue. There follows a series of very short clips from a variety of films. The video ends with the Sit Down Shutup and Watch, Tutti Arts and Arts South Australia logos.]

18/10/2024

It's one week until Sit Down Shutup and Watch Screen Festival goes LIVE at Tutti Arts Brighton. This will be a fantastic free event so don't miss it! You can:

👀 Watch short films by learning disabled creators from around the world
🧔🏻 Use an awesome free app to create your avatar and animate it
🧘🏾‍♀️Try out some wellbeing exercises
🕹 Play retro arcade games
💃 Dance, eat, drink and catch up with friends

Friday 25 October, 9.30am - 5.00pm
Come for the day, or pop-in when you can
Tutti Arts Centre, Commercial Road, Brighton - Kaurna Country
Access: wheelchair accessible venue, captioned films, Auslan interpretation

Book your spot here: https://events.humanitix.com/sit-down-shutup-and-watch-screen-festival-2024-live-at-brighton

If you live north of Adelaide, this event will be travelling to Nuriootpa on Friday 1 November so catch us there!

Sit Down Shutup and Watch Screen Festival and Comfort Zone are supported by Arts South Australia.

[Image description: a flyer promoting Sit Down Shutup and Watch Screen Festival Live at Brighton. The flyer contains, text, an image of an open mouth with a tie-dye explosion on the tongue, logos and a QR code.]