SXSW Sydney Games & Screen Awards Shortlist Announcement

October 10, 2024

Join us at the SXSW Sydney Game and Screen Awards for an evening of entertainment, karaoke, and recognition as we honour the best filmmakers and game developers of 2024. 

Hosted by comedienne Jordan Raskopoulos and her AI lizard son, Scrunt, the evening will celebrate excellence in this year's screen and games program and mediocrity when it concludes in the annual SXSW Sydney Karaoke Roulette Party. The winners will be announced at Fortress Sydney on Saturday, 19 October, at 7 pm.

Games Awards

  • Best International Game: This award highlights an exceptional game created by a team outside Australia and New Zealand.
    • Until Then - Polychroma Games
    • Airborne Empire - The Wandering Band
    • 1000xRESIST - Sunset Visitor  斜陽過客
    • Botany Manor - Balloon Studios
    • Boxes: Lost Fragments- Big Loop Studios
  • Discovery Award: The Discovery Award honours the standout title from emerging developers or new studios featured in the SXSW Sydney Games Showcase.
    • Death of the Reprobate - Joe Richardson Games
    • No Case Should Remain Unsolved - Somi
    • Arranger: A Role-Puzzling Adventure - Furniture & Mattress
    • Dungeon Clawler - Stray Fawn Studios
    • Wax Heads - Patattie Games
  • Best Student Game: This award celebrates a student game featured in the Student Showcase, recognising the creativity, innovation, and dedication of emerging developers.
    • Block Buddies - Super Mega Ultra Team Studios 
    • Viva La Grind - Masked Moonlight Interactive
    • MMMMMM: Multi-Merge Mix & Match Minigame Mayhem - Team Partybomb
    • Arcane Raiders - Team Stingray
    • Armless Samurai - Playmakers Development Team
  • Game of the Year: The SXSW Sydney Game of the Year celebrates the top game for its outstanding artistry and design. It honours a title that blends technical skill with creative brilliance into a remarkable experience.
    • INDIKA - Odd Meter Games
    • Demonschool - Necrosoft Games
    • Arco -Franek, Max Cahill, Bibiki, Fáyer
    • Crab God - Chaos Theory Games
    • The Many Pieces of Mr Coo - Nacho Rodríguez

People's Choice Award: People's Choice Award voting will open on 14 October 2024 and close 19 October 2024. Please vote for your favourite game in the showcase during this time.

Tabletop Award: This award celebrates a predominantly non-digital game, such as card games, board games, and roleplaying games, that excels in thoughtful design and offers a compelling solo or social experience.

Screen Awards

Best Feature: This award honors bold, visionary films that excel in areas of creativity and storytelling over the feature-length format.

  • The Code (dir. Eugene Kotylarenko)
  • A Grand Mockery (dir. Adam Briggs and Sam Dixon)
  • Love In The Big City (dir. E.oni)
  • My First Film (dir. Zia Anger)
  • Queens of Concrete (dir. Eliza Cox)

Best Short: This award recognizes forward-thinking short films that deliver compelling and impactful narrative within a brief runtime.

  • Cowboys Doing Laundry (dir. Curtis Hill)
  • Fishtank (dir. Wendi Tang)
  • Gooners (dir. Nick Murcott)
  • Make Me A Pizza (dir. Talia Shea Levin)
  • Nepotism, Baby! (dir. Tij D'oyen)
  • Prima Vista (dir. CornPop Bright & Squareheart)
  • The Red Room (dir. Alex Liu)
  • That Day I Jumped Off The Pier (dir. Jai Love)
  • Try To Remember, Please (dir. Maria Dudko)
  • Wildmen Of The Greater Toronto Area (dir. Solmund MacPherson)

Best Episodic: This award celebrates new episodic productions with outstanding storytelling and engaging craft.

  • Lantern Blade
  • Plum
  • Thou Shalt Not Steal

Best Music Video: This award acknowledges music videos that creatively merge music with unique visual artistry.

  • Carla Geneve - Bills
  • Psychedelic Porn Crumpets - Pillhouse (Papa Moonshine)
  • Rainbow Chan - Seven Sisters
  • Solsa - Work
  • Tkay Maidza - WUACV

Best Student Showcase: This award recognizes bold, genre-defying, inventive cinema from emerging filmmakers across Australia and New Zealand.

  • After Party (dir. Will Beattie)
  • Bong Xi Fa Cau (dir. Johnathan Lo)
  • Bor (dir. Dylan Ferenc Nyerges)
  • Dust (dir. Dingaboo)
  • Get On With It (dir. Grace Rogers)
  • Period Party (dir. Georgia Brogan)
  • Ruby and Tom Take a Cake to a Wedding (dir. Jack McTaggart)
  • Set Menu (dir. Lindsay McDonald)
  • The Muse (dir. Jessica Sherlock)
  • Trinket (dir. Alisha Doherty Hough)
  • Waiting Room (dir. Jared Hyland)

Audience Award: This award acknowledges and honours the favourite film of the SXSW Sydney 2024 audience.